Herman Rowland was struggling to keep his family candy business afloat, when a distributor named David Klein came up with the idea of a unique jelly bean filled with fruit purée. He called it Jelly Belly. Rowland bet his company and his family's 143-year-old legacy on the bean, rising to become an international sensation.
"Bottoms Up"— Designs by Lolita
In 2000, a girls' night out became an inspirational expedition for Lolita Healy. That's where she got the idea to create hand-painted martini glasses with unique recipes written on the bottom of each glass. She eventually branched out to wineglasses, pilsners and other items, and has now raked in around $62 million in retail sales.
"Millions in the Making" — Quirky
Ben Kaufman started Quirky to help armchair inventors bring their ideas to the market. Using social media software, community members submit product ideas. Those considered viable are produced, and inventors and other members who have influenced the product receive a percentage of sales. So far, Quirky has developed 200 products.
