0816_TOEFL-Test-and-Score-Manual-1997

14 ● 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business
on recommendations from its board, Swissötel began offering special
services to women business travelers, including prime seats in hotel restaurants
serving lighter, healthier spa-style cuisine. They extended health
club hours to fit the women’s busy schedules.
Susan Stautberg, a New York City consultant who helps companies
create advisory boards, said Avis tried to make women feel more welcome
by lowering sections of the check-out counters. In 2010, based on customer
feedback, AvisBudget started offering the services of local drivers for an
extra fee when you rent a car in certain cities. What a great idea that is,
especially for people like me who hate to drive, especially in big cities where
I don’t know my way around.
So think about inviting some savvy experts and customers to provide
invaluable advice to you and your staff.
GREAT
Move Your Business into an Incubator
If you think incubators are just for babies and chicks,
IDEA
think again. Incubators offer entrepreneurs financing,
real estate, mentoring, inspiration, encouragement, and a mix of compatible
neighbors.
There are about 1,500 business incubators in the United States and
thousands more abroad, according to the National Business Incubation
Association, in Athens, Ohio.
Shapeways, an innovative company that provides rapid manufacturing
or 3-D printing solutions to build low-cost product prototypes, began its
life in an incubator in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The company, founded in
2007, was invited to participate in a “lifestyle incubator” operated by Royal
Philips Electronics.
Life in the incubator meant low-cost office space and free, weekly
counseling sessions with one of the incubator’s managers, according to
CEO Peter Weijmarshausen. The companies were all start-ups working on
high-tech concepts. One company was developing a system to help patients
manage their hospital stays. Another was perfecting an electronic gadget
that tracked a person’s movement throughout the day.