Entrepreneurs Display Their Innovations at the National Western Stock Show

There's nothing like a farm full of lavender, recalling the fields of southern France, to inspire a person to creativity. The folks at the Colorado Mountain View Lavender farm are clearly inspired. Their home-grown Colorado lavender was on display at the National Western Stock show in an abundance of fragrant products, which revealed the olfactory creativity of Michael Richter. A combination of lavender, peppermint, and a third scent, one of his "signature scents," said his companion in the booth, blended beautifully and was stimulating and relaxing at the same time. Green tea was used in another blend to make a wonderful but powerful scent more agreeable over the long term. The Boulder Daily Camera, in an article about Michael's venture, noted that Colorado has an ideal climate for lavender growing, so far untapped on this scale by others. The company's web site indicates that pick-your-own lavender, along with a live video feed showing the fields, are in the making as well.

In Boulder, a family ranch provided the impetus for marketing creativity. A desire to produce a small quantity of top-notch beef cattle challenged the family to create a market for their beef. In addition to providing freezer packages of halves and quarters, butchered to specification and delivered to area residents, Colorado's Best Beef has considered how to lure the taste buds of their customers. In order to provide a superior product that fits in a family's usual recipes, the family takes their grass-fed cattle and switches to corn as they grow. It provides a taste close enough to grocery store beef to make the switch easier, but still a world away from shrink wrap food. They also sell a variety of flavors of delicious beef jerky! At about $4.50 a pound for all the different cuts in an order according to their flyer, it's a great deal on natural beef, and as a family friend working at the booth said you can order a sample before you stock your freezer with delicious beef.

Crocs are a Colorado invention that took off worldwide, and Michael Thompson's invention just might take off, too. It's not just a great idea, but implemented with scientific insight and precision, leaving little room for a better competitor. What is it? It's something that looks like the top part of a soda bottle, and fits perfectly on a can. Genius! All those places that you couldn't bring a can due to spilling, you've got a bottle. A fridge pack of cans becomes a bunch of bottles to drink from. The fizz stays in. Bees stay out. And so on. A variety of colored plastic Snap Capps are available "so you know whose can is whose," said Michael, and they are designed to push on to the top of the can and stick there until you crush the empty can in your hand to release it.

Invented in nearby New Mexico and now sold nationwide is the Z-Coil® shoe, originally developed as the ultimate running shoe by shoe store owner Alvaro Z. Gallegos who needed one for his foot pain. They have three other obvious purposes - a great shoe for diabetics and others with neuropathy (pain) of the foot, a shoe with cushioning and support for plantar fascitis, and a cool shoe which in some models looks like a regular dress shoe until you lift your pants leg to show the unique spring in the heel! Representative Frank Vibrans did just that, and said his first encounter with the company was when his girlfriend urged him to get a pair of Z-Coils. Like that old marketing line, he liked them so much he joined the company. A perfect conversation starter for the tech industry, Z-Coils are available in hiking boots and sandals, as well as many other styles with orthotics as well.

It's another reason to see the National Western Stock Show - Southwestern entrepreneurs are showing off their innovations, and for these two weeks they're waiting to tell you all about them!

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/jun/04/a-whole-lot-of-lavender-man-starts-sweet/

www.naturalbeef.com

www.canmagicdbasnapcapps.com

www.zcoil.com

www.coloradomountainviewlavender.com