Small Companies,
Big Brands, Big Bucks
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By John Tozzi
Take a look at 10 overachievers that became breakthrough success stories. Find out how they did it and maybe you can turn your product into a household name.
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Next: Brooklyn BreweryMore From BusinessWeek:
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Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Employees: 34
2007 sales: $18 million
Brooklyn Brewery doesn't try to compete with beer giants on advertising. Instead, the craft brewer focuses its marketing around community events and arts organizations, says President Steve Hindy. "This earns us lots of goodwill and plenty of quality sampling of our fine Brooklyn-branded beers."
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Next: Ciao BellaMore From BusinessWeek:
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Ciao Bella
Irvington, N.J.
Employees: 150
2007 sales: $15 million
About five years ago, Ciao Bella shifted its focus to consumers, using retail distribution, colorful containers, and new flavors intended to make the product pop out on retail shelves. That, combined with buzz from an appearance on "The Apprentice" and a mention from Oprah, helped the gelato gain a national reputation.
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Next: Clif BarMore From BusinessWeek:
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Clif Bar
Berkeley, Calif.
Employees: 216
2007 sales: $176 million
Gary Erickson's homemade energy bar became popular with hikers and cyclists shortly after he introduced it at his small Emeryville (Calif.) bakery in 1992. Now both Clif bars and Luna bars, the company's product aimed at women, are widely distributed and hold appeal to consumers beyond the products' original niches.
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Next: John Fluevog Boots & ShoesMore From BusinessWeek:
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John Fluevog Boots & Shoes
Vancouver, B.C.
Employees: 69
2007 sales: more than $10 million
John Fluevog founded the company in 1970 as an alternative to more staid shoemakers. The designer's eccentric spirit is imbued in a line of "wacky, odd shoes that spread the message themselves," according to Marketing Director Stephen Bailey.
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Next: MethodMore From BusinessWeek:
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Method
San Francisco
Employees: 150
2007 sales: almost $150 million
Method combined an eco-conscious image with sleek packaging and interesting fragrances to create a premium home-products brand now sold through national retailers such as Target, Costco, and Staples.
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Recent Comments
jdwyacht 03:05:27 PM Aug 10 2008
The republicans's do not you to own and work your own farm because it does not fit the BIG business model where one person gets rich while he/she employs the liitle poor people. Their way to control the people is for them (the masses) to be dependant on the monopolized food industry. These "Good Ole Boys" need another injection of cheap labor so they are pro-world economy. If they can't get cheap labor in America they will get it is China or India etc... Imperialism at it's best.
resetqueen 05:47:14 PM Aug 04 2008
WOW... I LOVE those shoes and I've never heard of them.
goshohola 09:00:56 AM Aug 04 2008
What will AMERICA's new name be? Anybody venture a guess?
goshohola 08:57:23 AM Aug 04 2008
...................tarot4hire.........................MY KIND OF PEOPLE
jecuesta1 11:11:37 AM Aug 02 2008
I will still drink BUD as long as it is made in the USA ! The problem is ..nobody wants to work in a factory or on a farm anymore. Unfortunately, that type of work ethic made this Country the greatest in the World ! The future ? I wish I had the answer ! Buy American whenever possible ! Even it is 10 - 15 % more. Keep the dollars in the USA. Let's stop sending all our consumer dollars to China !
jecuesta1 11:06:22 AM Aug 02 2008
jdramz..you are an idiot ! Move to the Mid -East and eat sand and oil !
jdramz 11:27:50 PM Jul 29 2008
im gonna buy whatever is cheapest and if its made in america it aint cheap so ill give my money to foreighn countries and i live right hear and pay my overpriced american taxes
