What: Life-size animal models used for veterinary
training
Who: Craig Jones and Jacqui Pruneda of Rescue Critters
LLC
Where: Van Nuys, California
When: Started in 1998
To many people in his inner circle, creating life-size models of
pets seemed like a silly business for Craig Jones to start. But to
him, it made perfect sense.
Jones, 41, sensed a business opportunity after completing a pet
first-aid class with the American Red Cross. He discovered that the
unrealistic dog manikin they used for training was offered by only
one company in the U.S.
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Jones, a former emergency response instructor, knew that his
background in emergency medicine for humans, coupled with his
contacts in the special-effects industry, were the resources he
needed to create lifelike animal manikins. Together with his wife
and co-founder, Jacqui Pruneda, 39, Jones began designing a
true-to-life dog manikin that would fit the training needs of
veterinary professionals. "We didn't want it to look like
a stuffed animal you would buy at a toy store," he says.
"We wanted it to look realistic."
In 1998, Jerry, Rescue Critters' first dog manikin, was born
in the couple's garage. The American Red Cross became their
first customer, and response to Jerry was so positive that word
soon spread throughout the veterinary field. Other manikins quickly
followed: Fluffy the cat; Lucky, a life-size rescue training horse;
and Critical Care Jerry and Fluffy, more advanced versions of the
originals that train students in life-saving techniques such as IV
insertion, suturing wounds, intubation, and listening for heart and
breath sounds. Primate manikins, birds with real feathers for
trimming, and manikins that let users draw blood are in the
works.
Rescue Critters has since moved from its garage location to a
storefront and now sells its manikins to customers worldwide,
including veterinary technician programs, fire departments, U.S.
Army canine hospital units and police department K-9 units. Each
animal model is made to order, and customers can add features to
base-priced models according to their needs. With 20 to 25 requests
per year for manikins and projected 2005 sales of $1.3 million, it
seems like Jones' idea wasn't so silly after all.
--Sarah Pierce
Better Half
What: An online marketing company that sells gift
certificates at half price
Who: Eric Diamond of SalesOffline.com
Where: New York City
When: Started in 2004
Gift certificates have always been ideal for gift giving, but
now they're becoming even better for self-indulgence--at half
the price. Eric Diamond, 33, spent a decade working tech-related
jobs before figuring out a way to combine his tech skills with his
family connections in the fashion industry. His brainstorm was
SalesOffline.com, a website he originally built to advertise local
retail sales that has since evolved into a provider of discounted
gift certificates to independent fashion retailers in the New York
City area.
Confidence, coupled with approximately $60,000 collected from
personal savings, family and friends, provided Diamond the
opportunity to develop the website and a business model that brings
profits not only to him, but to all involved--even retailers. How
does it work? Customers buy gift certificates but pay for only half
their values; retailers give SalesOffline.com an average of 30
certificates per month and, in the process, win new customers who
help drive sales; and Diamond strategically coordinates the two.
Says Diamond, "Our goal, overall, is to show that this is a
win-win situation for all parties."
Diamond spreads the word through reciprocal links with other
websites, via newspaper advertisements and by sponsoring events
where he gives away free gift certificates. The idea has caught on
big in New York City, where Diamond has developed partnerships with
more than 100 clothing, home furnishing and optical retailers.
Sales for 2005 are expected to reach $700,000. But Diamond says
this is just the beginning. He's working on expanding into
categories ranging from spas to airlines, as well as establishing a
presence in many more cities. Next stop? Los Angeles.
--Sara Wilson
Party Time
What: A service that provides celebrity-like access to
popular clubs
Who: James King and Jason Roefaro of PartyBuddys
Where: Union City, New Jersey
When: Started in July 2004
For people who long to party like P. Diddy, but don't have
quite the celeb status needed to bypass the velvet ropes,
PartyBuddys is a lifesaver and, according to co-founder James King,
"like a traveling VIP party."
Founded by two longtime friends, the idea is that, for a fee
(the average cost is $2,500 for four people), PartyBuddys will
provide you with your own posse--a guide to take you to all the
clubs you want to hit, a trained bodyguard, paparazzi-like
photographers to take your picture as you exit your limo, and
bottle service at your VIP table--for a fabulous night on the town.
The pair also arranges luxury car rentals, spa services and even
personal shopping for their clients.
King and Roefaro, both 30, got the idea after spending countless
nights out on the town in their 20s. They felt that as people got
older and had more money, they'd pay to bypass lines and get
first-class service in the club scene.
After talking to the New York City club owners they knew well,
says Roefaro, "They bought into our idea as being the next
step in corporate entertaining." With set relationships in
place, the pair started marketing their PartyBuddys service by
handing out fliers and business cards in front of clubs, and the
buzz grew.
Press mentions in The New York Times and The London
Times boosted their brand awareness, and sales are expected to
hit about $300,000 in 2005. King and Roefaro are in talks to
feature their service in a new reality TV show and may even
franchise Party-Buddys in cities like Los Angeles and Miami.
"We sell celebrity," says Roefaro. "[Our clients]
are celebrities for the night."
--Nichole L. Torres
Solid Gold
What: Creative services firm that offers image
consultation, graphic design, product development and more
Who: DL Warfield of Goldfinger
C.S.
Where: Atlanta
When: Started in 2000
How much: $5,000
For DL Warfield's creative services business, creativity has
been integral to its success and startup. Back when he was
creative director of R&B and rap label LaFace Records, Warfield
knew he wanted to strike out on his own by 30. "I wanted the
freedom to be able to work with a variety of different clients on a
variety of different projects," he says.
During startup, Warfield used his personal savings to buy the
design software he'd need to create promotional pieces. To save
money, he spent a month working from his home office, and he
bartered for photography and print services in exchange for design
work. His wife, an account manager, handled bookkeeping and deal
negotiations, while he handled the rest.
To minimize overhead costs, Goldfinger now shares a two-suite
office with an upstart clothing company and a clothing design
company. Warfield's customers include artists, corporations,
apparel companies and advertising agencies. Warfield also helped
start the Georgia Department of Creatives, a consortium with a
local recording studio and a video and film company to market their
businesses and other like-minded ventures.
With three full-time employees and 2005 sales projected to reach
$400,000 to $550,000, Warfield, 36, keeps operations lean.
"Like a marathon runner, if you have too much excess weight,
you won't be able to compete," he says. With that in mind,
Goldfinger still aims high, with clients like Earth Wind & Fire
and Usher.
--April Y. Pennington