Companies are always on the lookout for ways to incentivise and reward their staff, and perks are a way to do it. The problem for small companies at least, is that interesting and innovative perks take time, money and imagination to organise. It’s often not worthwhile if you just have a handful of employees. That’s where ‘AnyPerk’ comes in.

Businesses can subscribe to the company on a monthly basis, paying from as little as $7.50 per employee per month, for a midsize business. ‘AnyPerk’ gives workers access to over 850 pre-negotiated deals, offering up to 50 percent discounts across a huge range of products and services. There are entertainment deals such as 40 percent off at cinemas, special rates at small and large restaurant chains and travel, fitness and clothing discounts. Employers can create a customised set of offers which best suit their brand and working culture and they can monitor and manage the perk uptake.

This looks like a business model  that could be copied here in the UK. Who will be first to do it.

Website: www.anyperk.com

Two issues you face when you’re considering opening  a new restaurant are how do you know if there‘s a market for it and where will you get the money to get started. ‘Equity Eats’ is a US based initiative that attempts to solve both problems at once by enabling entrepreneurs to raise finance from their prospective customers.

‘Equity Eats’ enables entrepreneurs to raise funds for their venture by crowdfunding the start-up capital in exchange for future equity. Investors are primarily local community members, meaning their support in itself supports the viability of the concept.

Two things to think about:

1. Could you copy this idea in the UK?

2. Are there other local businesses which could be financed by the community in this way?

www.equityeats.com

When I come into the office on a Monday morning, its always colder than when I left on Friday despite heating being left on over the weekend. The reason is that the computers, printers and other devices that are used during a working day generate heat. It’s this sort of  bi-product heat that forms the basis of a green initiative from the Netherlands. Nerdalize is using the heat produced from computer servers to warm the homes they are installed in.

Data-centres filled with servers need cooling installations to handle the excess heat produced. Nerdalize offers an eco-friendly solution by placing individual servers in people’s homes where the heat can be useful, rather than a problem.

Homeowners can lease servers and the company pay for the electricity they use. Businesses can then buy the computing power they need from Nerdalize, saving between 30 and 55 percent on costs. The same energy is effectively used twice, creating a win-win situation.

I wouldn’t pretend that it’s easy, but I’m sure something like this could work in the UK too. Something for a very ambitious entrepreneur.

www.nerdalize.com

If you live in an urban area, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that graffiti is on the increase, and as we know, wherever there’s a problem, there’s an opportunity. The demand for graffiti removal has never been greater.

Graffiti  removal isn’t something that requires any prior experience. You could learn the necessary skills pretty quickly. There are plenty of resources online. Whilst there would inevitably be an investment to be made in equipment and a learning curve to travel,  this does seem like  a booming business which anyone could profit from, provided they’re prepared to put in a little time and effort. And as an added bonus, you’d be doing something that improves the area you live in for everyone.

This is well worth considering for anyone who wants to run a good old-fashioned ‘hands on’ business.

I just read an interesting survey of the spending patterns of US teenagers in 2015. If you want to get hold of  a slice of  the disposable income of this group of consumers (albeit their UK counterparts), it makes interesting reading. Here’s a summary of some of the more useful statistics for us here in the U.K.

Athletic-leisure, preppy, leggings and jogging pants are among the top teen fashion trends. The most preferred brands include Ralph Lauren, Nike, Lululemon, Victoria’s Secret, Vineyard Vines, UGG Australia and Timberland.  Michael Kors is  the No. 1 preferred handbag brand. MAC is the top preferred cosmetic brand.

Teens who spend above-average amounts on beauty prefer customer reviews over product selection as a guiding  factor in online purchasing decisions. Thirty-six percent anticipate playing more video games in 2015.

Food accounts for 23% of teens spending, followed by clothing (20%), accessories/personal care/cosmetics (10%), video games/systems (8%), car (8%), electronic/gadgets (8%), shoes (7%), music/movies (6%), concerts/movies/sporting events (6%), books/magazines (2%), furniture (1%) and other (4%).