The great thing about living in downtown Chicago is that I’m constantly bombarded with new ideas for companies to feature here. In suburban Connecticut most of what I saw when I was driving around was trees. Here in Chicago there are few trees in sight, but plenty of businesses, billboards, and buses (with advertising on the side, of course). There are also plenty of taxes. Sales tax is 10.25% and the parking tax is 28%, but likely soon to be 33%. This is on top of already outrageous monthly parking fees, so it’s no wonder that there’s a Zipcar location just a hundred yards down the street from my building. Zipcars are kind of like rental cars, but better. They’re more affordable (I think, but I haven’t done the math), they’re intended for residents instead of travelers, they’re green, and you don’t need to be 25 to take them for a ride. It’s kind of like having a friend with a car except you have to pay that friend whenever you use his car. Continue reading about Zipcar…
Ok, it might be politically incorrect to celebrate Columbus Day, but it was just about the only holiday that I had off when I was in college. Maybe it just happened to be a convenient weekend for Fall Break, but I still can’t believe that I didn’t have class on Columbus Day, but did have class on Labor Day (when I went to a School of Industrial and Labor Relations). Anyway, Christopher Columbus wasn’t much of a navigator. He had no idea where he was going, and he tried to take the long way around the world. Still, his ineptitude was the reason that he “discovered” the Americas. Had Garmin been around in the 1490s, Columbus never would have ended up where he did. Then again, the existence of a company built on GPS technology would have changed a lot of things for famous explorers five centuries ago. (Much like the existence of iPods - like the one we’re giving away - would have changed the world for musicians back then.) Continue reading about Garmin…
You may have seen it on a bumper sticker or overheard it while shopping downtown - especially in a college town - “Go Local.” It’s a movement that should stir pride in anyone who shares the small-r republican ideals of Thomas Jefferson. Farmers’ markets are back in style, artisanal cheese shops are popping up all over the place, and local, grass-fed beef is appearing on more and more restaurant menus. The yeoman farmer is back! Not only are these people making great products available, but they’re also building successful businesses by serving the demand for local food. How can this business model based on going local be extended beyond farming? One startup, Local Motors, is trying to make people “go local” when they buy cars. Yes, cars. Continue reading about Local Motors…
To be honest, I’m not totally focused on writing this post right now. I’m trying to stick it to the airlines who have responded to high fuel prices with surcharges for checked baggage. I’m already on the hook for $15 each way for my first checked bag, but I’m trying like heck to avoid the $25 each way for a second checked bag. The issue is that I’m packing for a trip that includes a Cubs game, a wedding, two days of fly fishing, a couple work related meetings, and some quality time with my girlfriend and her family. Nobody has built luggage that can keep a suit wrinkle free and hold two 4-piece fly rods yet, so I’m left scrambling. A much better way to stick it to the man is to get an electric car. That way fuel prices will just be a worry in your rearview mirror. Tesla Motors is in the business of designing and producing electric cars, and they will hopefully one day make purchasing an electric car a real possibility. Continue reading about Tesla Motors…
Over on One Day, One Job, we recently mentioned that Facebook now has a valuation on par with that of the Ford Motor Company. In our post about Facebook, we noted how amazing it is that so much wealth can be created seemingly out of thin air; however, we didn’t mention the contrasting point that American auto manufacturers have had a similarly amazing ability to hemorrhage money. It’s sad to say, but the reason for the decline of the Big Three has a lot to do with foreign auto companies like Honda making better cars, and often doing it with American talent! Continue reading about Honda R&D…
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