SavvySugar

How Did Self-Made Million- and Billionaires Get Their Starts?

SavvySugar — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:00:42 -0700

How does one get on the super rich list? Many of today's wealthy titans of business started with modest means and owe their wildly successful careers to their own wits and hard work. Do you know how these self-made million- and billionaire people get their start? Take the quiz!

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What Did Popular Brands Sell Before Their Signature Products?

SavvySugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:00:04 -0700

We all know Wrigley's makes gum and Tiffany sells jewelry, but those brands didn't get going by selling their signature products. Many companies, including these two, started in markets much different from where they ended up. A little trial and error never hurt an entrepreneur; in fact, I'm pretty sure it almost always helps. Can you guess what some brands sold before they hit a stride with the products for which they're now known? Take the quiz!

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Match the Celebrities to the Products They Endorse

SavvySugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:34:27 -0700

You shared which products and companies you'd be paid to endorse in an ideal world, and lucky for many celebrities, your dreams are their realities. Have you been paying attention to everyday advertising? Take the quiz to match the celebrities to the products they endorse!

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How Airlines Could Jam 50% More Passengers on Planes

SavvySugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:30:37 -0700

Most of you were pretty baffled when China's Spring Airlines announced it was considering selling standing-room seats on its planes, and the newest news in air travel might be just as jarring. British design company Design Q has come up with a concept it estimates would allow for a 50 percent increase in the number of passengers on board.

The design consists of rows of passengers sitting sideways and facing each other, instead of staring at the seat back in front of you. Howard Guy, director at Design Q, explains, "Having passengers face each other is not an ideal situation. But this will see increased revenue for the operator and more economical tickets for the passenger - so by keeping both happy, this concept makes an attractive alternative." Guy estimates the cost per seat will be reduced by 30 percent, which is nothing to cough at.

Because the planes would ultimately be uncomfortable (Guy even admits it) the seating arrangements would ideally be on planes used for trips under 80 minutes. Limiting the flights to shorter routes makes even more sense when you consider the design would exclude aisle space to accommodate food carts.

This way of traveling is nothing new for military personnel, but what do you think of using it for commercial planes?

The World's 10 Most Valuable Brands

SavvySugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:30:11 -0700

You might think a ranking of the world's most valuable brands is just another meaningless list, but look closer and you can see that these brands and their worth say a lot about our global culture. It would be a safe bet to say the majority of citizens in most developed countries would easily recognize these names. According to Interbrand's Best Global Brands annual report, these are the top 10 most valuable brands in the world in 2009.

Coca-Cola: $68.73 billion
IBM: $60.21 billion
Microsoft: $56.65 billion
GE: $47.78 billion
Nokia: $34.86 billion
McDonald's: $32.28 billion
Google:$31.98 billion
Toyota: $31.33 billion
Intel: $30.64 billion
Disney: $28.45 billion

Straightforward Credit Cards Could Be the New Trend

SavvySugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:30:13 -0700

Bank of America announced a new credit card that comes with, wait for it, a simple one-page explanation of terms and conditions. The BankAmericard Basic Visa card will be available in October and features a fixed rate tied to prime and a flat fee of $39 for late payments. Here's more:

The fixed rate is equal to the prime rate plus a margin of 14 percent, and the rate is the same whether you're making a purchase or taking a cash advance.
The rate isn't tied to a customer's payment history or credit rating like most credit cards.
There are no fees for going over the credit card limit.

The BankAmericard Basic Visa card doesn't come with a decent interest rate any way you look at it - the APR surpasses 17 percent - but it seems like it might be an option for people who have had credit problems in the past. According to The Wall Street Journal, simplification is now the primary focus for credit card companies and we can expect more cards with straightforward fees and policies in the coming months.

What Do You Know About the Most Powerful Women in Business?

SavvySugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:00:58 -0700

Last month Forbes announced the 100 most powerful women in the world, and Fortune followed this month with its list of the most powerful women in business. There's definitely some crossover between the two lists; business and power often go hand in hand. What do you know about the most powerful women in business? Take the quiz!

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How Did These Electronics Companies Get Their Names?

SavvySugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:30:14 -0700

Can you think of a day that's gone by without using one of your trusty electronics? Gadgets make our lives more convenient, efficient, and fun, and for many of us they seem like necessary luxuries. Do you know how the companies like Nintendo, Seiko, and Samsung got their names?

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Guess Which Hip Hop Artist Said It?

SavvySugar — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 05:30:12 -0700

There's a type of aggressiveness that's necessary for you to be successful on the street that translates (to a corporate environment). But in actual deals, it's almost the opposite because I already have that aura around me. So a lot of times, I disarm people by being extremely friendly.

Pay-What-You-Want Taxi Service: Brilliant or Baffling?

SavvySugar — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:30:16 -0700

The Great Recession has inspired businesses and entrepreneurs to build more creative marketing schemes and business plans. Pay-what-you-want restaurants are no longer a rarity and have generally shown that people will pay a fair price, even when they're not given a bill.

One innovative guy in Vermont took this idea and is driving with it in his Vermont-based part-time business, Recession Ride Taxi. Eric Hagen's taxi sign reads "Pay What You Want!" and he also offers pay-what-you-can bottles of water, Gatorade, and soda, and a free ride after six paid fares. Hagen told the Burlington Free Press that he's satisfied with the way business has been going; while he's received payment in the form of a CD from a musician and a $10 supermarket card, most patrons pay in cash.

What do you think of his idea: is it brilliant or baffling?