Ask Questions 
Share Tips 
List Your Business 
Coffee Talk with Experts 
Biz Planning | Sample Plans 
Idea 
Name 
$ 
Do It! 
Promotional Merchandise
Managing | Operations
Work @ Home 
Yoga @ Your Desk 
Idea Cafe's Mary Marks MOM Biz Grant
The Winners Won Even More, Thanks to Idea Cafe Regulars!
In addition to the grant dollar awards given by Idea Cafe, the winners will be treated to more great treats and help donated by Idea Cafe Regulars. With these generous gifts, winners' businesses will cruise to success in the fast lane!
A Gold Limo
All six winners will live their dream with their own special edition gold limosine. After all, they deserve it! Discretely desk-sized to trim fuel expense and avoid parking problems. Generously donated by Idea Cafe Regular, Clay Gullett, owner of Unique Stuff of Apple Valley, California. Unique Stuff is known for its super imprints on unique items like die-cast cars, wooden nickels and Route 66 memorabilia. His prices are so good that schools and other groups love to use them as fundraisers.
Into the Spotlight
Our top winner can get her biz moving with a three-month Starter PR Plan, courtesy of the Women's News Bureau, focused on helping businesswomen get their share of the national media spotlight.
Make Your Mark
All six winners will receive a 1st Mark tool direct from the inventor, Millie Null. 1st Mark is an excellent tool for mounting pictures, quilts, mirrors and your favorite Idea Cafe Award. Thanks to the generosity of E-Z Way Products, our winners will be setting things straight in no time!
A Shopping Spree
There's a great little store tucked just behind a great gathering place for alumni. Lee Eygabroad of the EZ Alumni Project has graciously given all six of our winners a $100 gift certificate to be used at the EZ Alumni Store. Everything from computer supplies to gifts to toys for the kids!
Three for One Sunshine
Elaine Block of Morning Sunshine has three businesses and has generously donated something from each. A one-year membership in www.WomenWhoNetwork.com; a 2" X 18" Webcar Magnetic sign and free link from www.i-magnetics.com; and a six-pack "Pick a Pot" Coffee Gift Box from www.mscoffee.com. This is sure to get all six winners buzzing. Thanks, Elaine.
Biz Card Bonanza
Every one of our winners gets a copy of "Business Card Breakthroughs", an e-book designed to help business owners DESIGN and then USE business cards to maximize their profits. Thanks to the generosity of author Diana Ratliff, CEO of BusinessCardDesign.com.
Free Listing or Consult
Any of our six winners who have a service business will get a free listing at eHousecare.com, a site that provides "Service Professionals in Seconds" for zip codes throughout the U.S. Winners who don't have a service biz will get three hours of consulting from eHousecare CEO William Tompkins.
Logo or Web Site
Our top winner will get either a professionally designed logo or professional homepage web design from Smart Designs. Owner/Designer Kirsten Cooper has done design for a wide range of companies, products and services. This is the way our Moms will make their mark!
Biz On A Mug
A personalized mug and coaster set goes to our top winner, courtesy of Angela at Tag Designs.
Set Up and Start Up
If our winners have a restaurant or food biz, they'll get help setting up, starting up or refining their restaurant biz from a professional restaurant consultant.
Biz Plan and Investor Marketing
Joy Donnell at Aarde Renaissance , "Where business solutions begin," is offering our top winner free business consulting to tailor a business plan and market it to investors. (aarde@consultant.com) Thanks, Joy!
Add Some Sparkle to Your LIfe
Our wonderful SuperSchmoozer Elizabeth Webster Goddard is offering a glittering half-dozen pair of beautiful earrings, one for each of our lucky winners. She's got them listed under "My favourites" on her website, www.fifthavenuecollection.com/elizabeth
Web Hosting and Motherhood
One year of web hosting, free ($120- $180 value) for the top winner from beHosting.com, web hosting for the homegrown business. The runners-up get a *Very Cool* beHosting.com beShirt (tm) with a quote from Teddy Roosevelt about Motherhood. Thanks to the folks at http://www.beHosting.com
For the Busy Woman
Our winners are sure to be Busy Women, so Susie Glennon of the Busy Woman's Daily Planner steps up and offers each of our winners The Busy Woman's Basics Starter Pack. AND each new customer gets a free half-hour consultation! Thanks so much for your time, Susie. http://www.thebusywoman.com
Read All About It
Just amazing! Vladimir Simic, a multimedia producer from Belgrade, Yugoslavia, read about our grant and offers our Top Winner one of the books from his collection on small biz. "LOW RISK - HIGH REWARD Starting and growing your business with minimal risk" by Bob Reiss and Jeffrey L. Cruikshank, is copyright 2000 and yes, it's in English. Thank you, Vladimir!
Custom Designed Gourmet
Kathy Lindberg at the Gift Basket Gallery will give our Top Winner at $75 Gourmet Gift Basket. What a generous gift from one Mom to another! Thanks, Kathy! http://www.giftbasketgallery.com
Boogie, Jingle and Dance
The Big Idea Band & Event Productions offers our Top Winner their services in event planning and performance (in southern California) for a grand opening, employee party...or even a wedding if the biz can't use the service. Or they'll put their considerable talents to use and produce some jingles for your biz. Thanks to Jenny Duncan at (760) 639-2988!
Keep Track of the Money
Phyllis Panzeter at AppGuides offers all of our winners their "Basic Guide to Quickbooks," a simple, concise, 14-page color booklet to help our working Moms keep track of their biz. Check it out at http://www.appguides.com
David Thomas from Down Under says he'll contribute a fully functional, e-commerce enabled, professionally and individually designed free website as part of your BizGrants program. This will include a free domain name and free hosting. Thanks to Dave and the folks at http://www.affordablewebsitesaustralia.com
Getaway Goodie
Karen Estey, Mom and Innkeeper, invites our Top Winner to enjoy four days of lodging for two at her bed-and-breakfast, The River House. You'll love getting away to North Carolina at http://www.river-house.com/
Clean Up Gift
The Cyr House is a family owned biz that makes handcafted candles and soaps. Angie Cyr is offering a $15 gift certificate to each of our winners. Thanks, Angie, for a great contribution
The WAHM Guide
Our own Coffee Talk Expert, Cheryl Demas, is offering each of our winners a copy of her book, The Work-at-Home Mom's Guide to Home Business. Not only that, as one of our judges she'll personally pick the winners! Thanks for everything you do for WAHMs, Cheryl! http://www.wahm.com
Biz Books
Anthony Price is donating copies of "The Best of Tom Culley - Vol. 1, 52 Columns of Unique Views on Business Reality," and also a new release, "Business Alone." Thanks, Anthony, for the donation and letting us know both books are about business reality, as well as being quick reads at 122 pages.
Go Barefoot
Rose Elliott makes these really fine jewelery accessories that dress up any event. Our top winner will look spiffy at the beach with "The Barefoot," beaded footwear from Rose at Beaded Jewelry Accessories. Each of the runners-up will get an anklet. Thanks for making us shine, Rose!
Marketing Plan
Nancy Johnson, By Our Shoestrings Marketing, is a home business consultant who offers our winners one month of help in developing a marketing plan, plus two free ebooks, "1,001 Newbie Friendly Tips" and "Advertising for Profit." Read all about Nancy's great work in her Profile. Thanks, Nancy.
Personalized Book
Jane Friddell does Personalized Children's Books and will donate a Personalized Book to each of our winners. That's like gaining six new kids! Thanks, Jane!
For Winners AND Donors
This donor is contributing an adopt-a-page package to all the winners and also to all the businesses who donate products and services to our grant winners. Such generosity comes from Marlene Jones at the Sunny Side Business Directory. We accept your adoption with deep appreciation, Marlene; Thanks.
Journal Gift Pack
Jodi Marvin, who founded www.childcarejournals.com, has donated a "Journal Gift Pack" for our top winner. The pack includes a one-year Childcare Journal, a handmade daycare tote bag and a slipcover to preserve the journal. Thanks, Jodi, for remembering that Moms love to remember their little ones.
Safe Child
From one Mom to another, Debra LaPorte, owner of YourSafeChild.com, is donating ChildPrint ID Kits and Safe Shoes ID Kits for all the children of our winners. Say "Thanks!" kids.
Meet the Press
Lois Carter Fay, partner at Technology Marketing Group, LLC and President of Strategic Business Partners, will write four (one per quarter) one- or two-page press releases for the top winner and one press release for each of the top two runners up. Thank you, Lois.
Gift Certificate
Our top winner will receive a $50 gift certificate from JMJ Products, home of www.TotallyCatholic.com and www.7LittleAngels.com. This generous donation is from Maria Compton-Hernandez.
Embroidered Shirt
Each of our winners will look extra sharp in a denim shirt embroidered with their biz name, courtesy of the very generous Ann Garity, owner of Garity Lasting Impressions in Helenville, WI. Just the thing for promoting a biz! Thanks, Ann.
BloomingU
Each of our winners will blossom with a free lifetime membership to BloomingU, a virtual community of Moms developing and sharing life skills. The Top Winner also gets 3 months of free coaching from career and life coach Jennifer Anderson, founder of BloomingU. Thanks so much, Jennifer.
Sculpture
"Every Soul forms an impression," says Robin Church, soul sculptress, and she will sculpt a Soul Impression from natural clay for our top winner. We offer soul-felt gratitude; Thanks, Robin!
DogBone Neck Pillow
Just what a tired entrepreneur needs to de-stress and get some real rest! A DogBone pillow cradles your neck for a quick break or long flight. Goes with you anywhere. Donated by Barely Surviving Trading Company, source of unique products that make life more comfortable.
Flowers
All six winners will receive a fabulous bouquet of flowers to congratulate them on their success. Donated in her memory by the family of Mary Marks.
What About You? Can You Add Something for our Winners?
Services, products, food -- anything to cheer our winners, boost their confidence, build their business. Find out how you can donate.
Back to description of Idea Cafe's Mary Marks MOM Biz Grant
Back to Idea Cafe's Small Business Grant Center home page
Small Business Tax Center • Idea Cafe Home • Sign Up • Biz Grant Center • CyberSchmooz •Coffee Talk with Experts • People in Biz Profiles • Starting Your Biz • Biz Planning • Running Your Biz • FREE Trade Publications • Marketing • Financing Your Biz • Human Resources • Legal & Biz Forms • Managing Your Biz • eCommerce • You and Your Biz • Gen X • Work@Home • The Fridge • De-Stress • Send an Award • Send an eGreeting • Yoga @ Your Desk • Web Guide • Idea Cafe in the News • About Idea Cafe • Advertise on Idea Cafe • Contact Us • Privacy Policy • Site Map • Small Biz News
Copyright 1995-2024, Idea Cafe Inc. Downloads are for personal use only, not for resale to others, and may not be reprinted in any form without written permission from Idea Cafe Inc.
DISCLAIMER: We hope whatever you find on this site is helpful, but be cautioned that it may not apply to your own situation, or be totally current at any given time. Idea Cafe Inc. and all of its current and past experts, sponsors, advertisers, agents, contractors and advisors disclaim all warranties with regard to anything found anywhere on this family of websites, quoted from, or sent from Idea Cafe. and its related sites, publications and companies. We also take no responsibility for comments published by others on these pages. TRADEMARKS: The following are Registered Trademarks or Servicemarks of DevStart, Inc.: Idea Cafe®, Online Coffee Break®, The Small Business Gathering Place®, Take out Info®, Biz Bar & Grill®, Complaint-O-Meter®, A Fun Approach to Serious Business™, CyberSchmooz™, and BizCafe™.