The Sorrento Hotel hosts a series of nontraditional entertainment and education events called Night School. For example, during a session called Chamber vs. Chamber, attendees are treated to a performance and dialogue that explore the dichotomy between classical music and modern indie-rock.

So what does that mean? Well, they recently paired a French-lyricist and classically trained marimba player with the former lead singer of Harvey Danger. (Lyrics from Harvey Danger’s one and only song: “They cut off my legs now I’m an amputee, goddamn you!”)

So it, uh, gets interesting.

And then there’s the Midnight Symposium. Held in the 7^th floor penthouse, this program brings leading intellectuals, artists and writers to the Sorrento for an intimate conversation of their choosing. Last year, $50 got you a hearty stew, a big ol’ bottle of whiskey, some wine and a copy of the book under discussion.

Actually, the Sorrento Hotel has been a community gathering place since it was established in 1909. Townsfolk used to come through its doors just to have tea and shoot the scuttlebutt. Maybe even listen to a little poetry.

So now that they’re putting on events like Drinking Lessons – a two hour how-to and history of three different cocktails – even the locals are checking back in.

And this is what illustrates the fundamental shift occurring at the Sorrento. When was the last time you stopped by a Super 8 just to hang out? Heck, make that a Hilton. You’re still not dropping in for tea.

This translated into a 25% uptick in food and beverage sales at the Sorrento. And more room bookings.

And for those of you who think hotels are for holing-up, the Night School attitude extends to the Room Service menu. Order from an assortment of 12 books written in or about the Northwest and enjoy them at your leisure.

But we’re sticking with the stew and whiskey.

The gals at Snapology are taking that fact and turning it into a curriculum that fosters genuine enthusiasm for the hard sciences. Through teamwork, problem-solving skills and LEGO® blocks.

This is the beauty of Snapology – when kids are presented with lessons that aren’t boring as hell, they engage. It’s like magic or something.

“Our goal is to create an environment where kids are having fun and they don’t realize they’re learning while they’re doing it,” Lisa Coe said.

Her sister and co-creator, Laura Barrows, takes it one step further and instructs teachers not to even mention the word “educational” to their students. They just don’t need to know.

So how does it work? Laura and Lisa design entire lesson plans around LEGO® construction kits, the complexity of which rise with the age of the kids. (Some of their kits involve moving parts, electronics and motion sensors. Solar panels and windmills to be introduced this fall.) To build the kits, kids follow instructions on specialized laptops. Variations like sound effects and other retrofitting options encourage creativity, while working with partners allows for problem solving and conflict resolution.

And when they’re done, the kids have built a LEGO® soccer goalie that can block shots on net. We’re adults and we’re impressed with that. 

In other words, Snapology is a portable powerhouse of education. They accommodate camps, clubs, home school classes, in-school field trips, birthday parties, play dates and girl/boy scout troops.

You might say, they’re just piggybacking off LEGO® products. Au contraire. The brilliance of Snapology is in the design, the lesson plans, the total restructuring of education. Laura and Lisa are honing this method over the next year with the cooperation of teachers and students. Then, franchising and expansion.

And Hollywood. Or, more likely, YouTube.

Their SnapAnimation class allows kids to make their own 2-minute films, frame by frame. Better throw narrative, filmmaking and Internet skills on the already long list.

Just, for heaven’s sake, don’t tell the little rascals. It’d be a shame to ruin such a beautiful thing. 

Much of the water industry operates this way. Blow the bottles at one factory, then truck them to be filled and capped at another. Not only is it environmentally irresponsible, but it’s also just plain stupid. Anyone with a healthy love for supply chains would have agreed.

Now, Benjamin Gott had zero experience in the H₂O industry. But he did spend the last nine years in fairly large, web-based supply chain start-ups. And anyone could tell you that water was a racket. To the tune of something like $16 billion in 2008. And nearly all of it in inefficient, unsustainable, perpetual plastic.

But what else is there?

Boxes. Easy to make, ship, build up, break down and recycle. In just two pallets, or 5% of a truck’s hold, Boxed Water Is Better does the duty of 5 truckloads of empty plastic or glass bottles.

Over 75% of the packaging is made from a renewable resource, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified trees. And, Boxed Water is Better gives 10% of their profits to world water relief, as well as another 10% to reforestation foundations.

Visually, they’re a breath of fresh air. There’s a Warhol-ian quality to the way they sit in a refrigerated row, the simplistic black-and-white look a deliberate juxtaposition to twenty years worth of waterfall, mountain and glacier iconography.

The one thing they make no bones about – check out the website – is that their product isn’t perfect. It’s still using fossil fuels for manufacturing and transportation. It’s still a commodity, not a necessity. But with 20% donations, containers from a renewable resource and every box taking a bite out of the big guys, the name still holds true.

Boxed Water Is Better.

Not so with CustomShow.

CustomShow, by Sales Graphics, is the next evolution of sales presentation technology. Literally. CustomShow is faster, stronger, smarter and, to be honest, a whole lot prettier than the market leader, Microsoft PowerPoint.

And in the jungle of sales presentations, sexier is better.

Watching a CustomShow presentation is like viewing informational fireworks. Video, graphics, text and effects synthesize to create an integrated presentation that is decidedly more MTV than Microsoft. Actually, MTV uses CustomShow.

As a Challenger Brand, Sales Graphics – “The Presentation Agency” – is up against the Goliath of Goliaths, but it has managed to carve out an amazing share of forward-thinking corporate America.

As Mike Lingle, SVP of Sales and Strategy, put it, “If you look at our client list, you’ll see a bunch of big companies who seem to feel that PowerPoint is not giving them everything they need.”

So, like hungry (hungry) hippos, CustomShow just keeps gobbling them up: DIRECTV, CNN, Bravo, The New Yorker, A&E, ELLE, The Wall Street Journal and Dior. And that’s just the short list.

• Sales Graphics has been in the presentations business for over 50 years, since the days when they made high-end, hand-lettered presentations and sales boards.
• Sales Graphics is a third generation family business offering its sixth version of CustomShow.

Beyond being dazzling, CustomShow sports a number of boons. On the one hand, it allows control over the information being presented in a way that ensures that the company’s brand guidelines are consistent. But on the other, it allows quick and easy customization of presentations to permit flexibility.

More than anything, CustomShow is a presentation program for a world with a short attention span and high visual expectations.

The namesake products are wrist and ankle weights that make a fashion statement. At ½ pound per wrist or one pound per ankle, Banglz are heavy enough to make every movement a workout, but light enough to not interfere with everyday activities. The wrist bands are also available as one-pound weights to be used only during workouts.

The weights are designed to look like chunky bracelets, mimicking hair scrunchies that were popularly worn on the wrists. A variety of fabrics make Banglz both “wearable workouts” and versatile accessories. Banglz are available in a variety of patterns, including zebra and cheetah prints, denim, chocolate and basic black.

The company’s founders describe themselves as “typical 40-something Moms.” They took on the challenge of designing products that would meet the needs of women everywhere:  “mothers, grandmothers, teenagers, workaholics, athletes, gym-goers, anti-exercisers and anyone who cares about their health now and in years to come.”

Improving muscle tone and burning calories are the goals of Banglz. The wrist weights target that annoying arm jiggle, and the ankle adornments are designed to help firm up legs.

• Banglz are available online at $24.95 for ½-pound weights and $27.95 for one-pound weights
• The website also lists retailers that carry the products
• The parent company of Banglz is Fitness U Wear, LLC

The company has also developed an additional product line, Smartslips. Much like a conventional slip, it is designed to be worn under dresses and skirts.Its fabric adds “slight, ongoing resistance in every step,” invisibly turning a stroll into a better workout.  Available in full-rise and low-rise models, it targets the hips, glutes and legs, striving to firm muscles while the wearer goes about her everyday business.

Diversifying away from the workout wear, the company is now offering a line of a-lines. Simple Skirts flatter figures and can be worn high or low on the waist, working perfectly over the Smartslip.

The company has been recognized as a new and exciting Challenger Brand in the media, featured by Working Mother, The Doctors, Today and Ebony, among others. Banglz are hoping to become the jewels of the fitness industry, transforming women into diamonds in the rough by adding a sparkle of health.

Described as “an exciting national clothing swap that combines the best features of Netflix, StubHub and eBay,” thredUP is seeking a new niche in the $2 billion used-clothing industry. Members have the option of refreshing as many items as they like as they tire of their clothes and want to avoid buying expensive new looks.

Simply register online by indicating the brands, sizes and types of items sought and listing available items from your closet. thredUP will send you prepaid envelopes for shipping, avoiding that pesky trip to the post office. For now, the exchanges are limited to shirts, although future expansion is in the works.

In the interest of simplicity, no photos are available, and the staff serves as matchmakers based on the items in members’ closets. Shirts fall into brand tiers, so an upscale, designer top won’t be replaced by a discount store special. An email message heralds the making of a match, at which time the item must be accepted, and an item must be sent to another member in exchange. Members must send an item to receive one.

thredUP sends an alert when a member’s envelope supply is running low, providing the opportunity to replenish. Swapping can be continuous, or items that hit the right fashion note can be kept forever.

• An initial set of three envelopes costs $12.50, entitling the new member to three swaps; they are three for $25 thereafter
• The company was co-founded by a Harvard business school grad and a tech guru; the founder of Netflix is an advisor to the company
• Nearly 5,000 members joined right off the  bat, with continued growth expected

The next big launch will be thredUP Kids, which will appeal to parents as their offspring zoom through sizes and outgrow barely-used clothing. Several upgrades are also in the development stage, including the ability to window shop, auto-envelope replenishing and expansion outside the US.

There are some basic expectations that come with the privilege of membership. The golden thredUP rule is: “send only what you’d be willing to receive.” No stained, out of style, torn or stretched clothing, please. Rating items upon receipt is an important part of the process, and those with unfavorable feedback will be banned from future swaps. “Stylie points” can be awarded by especially happy recipients, providing eligibility for exclusive promotions.

Like playing the lottery, thredUP members must be willing to take a gamble. Fortunately, the odds of winning are much greater, and a refreshed closet full of new-to-you threds is the reward.

Second Porch invites us to “discover the vacation home network that exists within your social connections.” It’s challenging the vacation rental industry by providing Facebookers with a way to fill vacation homes with friends rather than strangers. With the typical Facebook network reaching approximately 17,000 people, all with a friend in common, renting on Second Porch becomes less risky, as users can “see the face behind the place.”

Boasting an investment of five minutes or less, Second Porch’s approach to vacation rental is a new concept. Listings appear on the poster’s Facebook wall and become part of their news feed to friends. This functionality allows the comfort of operating in a closed network, a bonus in an era of cyberstalking and identity theft.

Interested in swapping houses? In Second Porch’s experience, 45% of listers are open to trading rather than renting. After their stay, vacationers are encouraged to provide “no-burden recommendations,” consisting of one click with optional comments. And, in this shaky economy, many owners of the estimated 7.5 million second homes are looking to turn their investments into a source of revenue, creating a significant market for Second Porch.

• This startup was founded in September 2009 in Portland, Oregon
• The company was recently awarded $1 million in funding from the Oregon Angel Fund to be used to expand the workforce, enhance the site and increase marketing efforts
• The basic listing on Second Porch is free; a paid option provides the opportunity to link to photos on Flickr, property web sites or other promotional tools

Second Porch provides a great opportunity for Facebookers who are looking for a place to stay. Networking their way to homey digs, potential tenants can take note of attractive properties and follow them for potential future trips. Second Porch allows for bypassing dubious properties that may provide nasty surprises and dealing with only trusted friends instead. And, it makes it easy to share information with others involved in group getaways!

This site has worked to position itself as the go-to resource for all matters relating to pets. Boasting millions of pet pictures, proud parents can share both images and anecdotes about their lovable companions. Have a concern about litter box issues, food guarding or nail clipping? Looking for a new vet? Chances are that useful advice can be found on Zootoo, along with reviews of pet-related products.

As on human-focused social networking sites, communication with other members can take several forms, including inviting users to become friends, private messaging, participating in news discussions, commenting on reviews, answering questions and reading the journals fellow members post online.

• Zootoo, headquartered in New Jersey, was founded in 2007 and employs 20
• Membership and services on the site are free; advertisers provide funding

Zootooers can access information regarding both national and local services, as well as keep up with the latest from the pet kingdom. Zootoo TV, produced by the pet news team, has become “the CNN for pet news.” For the fun-loving pet person, online games are available: Pet Wars invites votes for the cutest pet in America, with more than 10 million votes cast to date, and Meet the Breeds challenges players to choose the correct breed from among three pictures.

The site’s capabilities include a local focus, with services, adoptable pets, pet groups, volunteer opportunities and pet lovers searchable by location. Members can also post local events. On the national side, Zootoo holds annual shelter makeover contests with awards up to $1 million, garnering votes and media attention in the process. 

The Pet Answers feature provides a forum for members to ask questions and benefit from the wisdom of other Zootooers. Questions appear for two weeks, at which time the asker is invited to choose the best answer. Zootoo is working hard to become the tail-wagging favorite of pet lovers everywhere.

 “Promoting awareness and use of fashionable, functional clothing for men and women” is the mission of Fashion Moves. Its goal is to “move the fashion and garment trades into the 21st Century, and encourage them to follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and similar legislation.” Citing examples of its target groups, the organization is aiming to meet challenges such as designing evening gowns that will not tangle in wheels for the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant, as well as business attire for professionals who use wheelchairs. Likewise, solutions are sought for buttons and fasteners that can pose difficulties for those with Parkinson’s and other neurological disabilities.

 The competition is open to all designers and students of design, with the goal of encouraging careers that will take into account those with special needs. Contestants can choose among several garment categories: at home and leisure, sport and casual, office and professional, semi-formal and formal, outerwear and lingerie. Winning designs will become paper sewing patterns, with royalties from their sale paid to the winning designers. 

• Fashion Moves was founded by Ruth Clark, whose mother designed and sewed clothing for family members with disabilities and residents of nursing homes
• After her father’s abilities declined because of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Ruth founded Fashion Magic Apparel in 2002, designing and sewing custom clothing for wheelchair users; the company is run out of her home

 Following a series of small fashion shows, Fashion Moves was created as a forum to heighten interest in this specialized clothing niche, tapping into an underserved market. The company’s founder also gives presentations to a variety of groups on related topics, ranging from brief talks to full-day workshops. 

The competition opened in September 2009 and closes in the late spring of 2010, with awards to be presented in the fall of this year. Fashion Moves is actively seeking sponsors, with support at levels ranging from $10 – $40,000 and featuring opportunities to boost awareness of sponsor businesses through the website and contest promotional materials.

Fashion Moves, through its commitment, is challenging an entire industry to become involved in helping an important segment of the population button up. This is a moving challenge, designed to help break down barriers for people on the move. 

The company’s founder, a graphic designer, hit a dry spell in her work and was looking for a new project. She was inspired by her “smart-mouthed, wickedly funny” friends, who would not appreciate grandma’s florals when it came to cards.

“We get a lot of laughs from a large cross-section of people looking for cards that they can relate to and that are fabulously frank without being mean,” explains company owner and founder Jennifer Adler.

All of Adler’s cards feature one of her signature characters, none of whom have eyes or a nose, a hallmark of her typical doodling style. The characters match the diversity of the artist’s circle of friends, depicting Black, White, Jewish, Vietnamese, Mexican and Gay. “I’m a very honest person, and when you’re honest about something, you’re telling the person that you get it and you understand them,” says Adler.

• The Providence, RI-based company was founded in 2006; the owner also has her own graphic design business
• At least two retail locations carry the cards, but the cards can also be ordered online
• Individual cards cost $4.75; $24 buys either a set of eight or one 5×7 matted print

The cards often embody a unique philosophy of life. With blank interiors, some front captions include:  “Sometimes life is just a jumbled spaghetti of priorities, and you’re the meatball,” and, “Men…can’t take them out; don’t want to stay home with them either.” Tempered by realism, sentiments many of us can relate to are also offered: “This job sucks. I had a feeling it would.” And for the paranoid and pessimistic:  “All the components of my life are falling into place just the way I have always dreamed. Is this some kind of cosmic joke?”

The company’s founder has discovered that being a Challenger Brand can be, well, challenging. “Some people say, ‘these are really great and funny, but they aren’t right for my store.’ We’re looking for challenger stores. Those stores are a little difficult to find.”

Like replacing the handshake with the fist bump, Survival by Design is working to find new ways to share greetings. While the company knows that not everyone is ready to make the switch, they’ve defined a niche and are ready to greet a new day.

Tappening, rather than promoting a specific brand, was created to increase market share in a rather mundane, typically unbranded product: “Tap water is the ultimate Challenger Brand,” states Mark DiMassimo, co-founder of Tappening. “It seemed to us that bottled water had a good business model, and tap water had a lousy business model, and as a result, people were over-consuming bottled water. So, we adopted tap water.”

Tappening’s strategy is unique. While some advertisers develop but deny deceptive strategies, efforts to promote use of tap water include creating deliberate lies about bottled water on a site created for that purpose, http://www.startalie.com/. Tappening’s ads claim that bottled water includes “98% polar ice caps and 2% polar bear tears,” “makes acid rain fall on playgrounds,” “causes blindness in puppies,” and is the “primary cause of restless leg syndrome.” Posters with these slogans can be downloaded and sent to friends via e-mail, twitter or Facebook, or visitors can start and disseminate their own lies on the website.

Behind its deliberate lies, Tappening is one selfless organization:

• The only products Tappening sells are a few BPA-free plastic and stainless steel water bottles, asking users to “Think Global. Drink Local.”
• The entire undertaking is funded by several ad executives who want to put their skills to work for the greater good

Tappening is concerned about the lack of disclosure by bottled water companies. Although labels picture pristine streams and dazzling waterfalls, the source of the water is not as clear as the graphics indicate. Often, laboratory analysis shows that the product is no better than, or even not as good as, what comes out of the kitchen sink. 

The effort’s founders believe that, with the money wasted on bottled water, the US could provide health insurance to every child in the US. Tappening’s goal, rather than profitability, is to contribute to a societal shift by spearheading an anti-bottled water movement. “Our measures of success were not just marketing and business goals,” explains Di Massimo. “We had movement goals, to increase the amount of tap water consumed.” 

Although Tappening’s objectives and tactics may be a bit unconventional, their thinking can be applied to any Challenger Brand. “You can’t challenge by imitating,” says DiMassimo. “Know who you’re taking the market from – identify the enemy and go after them.” This is a company whose battles are fought not with grenades and rockets, but with high-powered water guns – filled right from the tap.

A multi-tiered cake with white frosting and a happy couple in wedding attire is a traditional element of the traditional wedding. As weddings increasingly deviate from the traditional, cake adornments are following suit — and Caketoppers has joined the wedding party! This Challenger gives couples a way to add an attention-grabbing element to their event while showcasing their personalities.

The site features a number of categories, hoping to provide something that will tickle the fancy of nearly every couple – sports obsession included. “Gone Fishing” shows the bride’s catch: the groom, with a hook through his trousers. Carrying his lady and a football, the groom is sure to score a touchdown, and the pitching bride and catching groom will hit a home run. And to celebrate crossing the finish line, the grinning groom pops a champagne cork while the bride waves a checkered flag.

The “funny” category is appropriate for couples with a sense of humor about themselves, including a couple in wedding attire chatting on cell phones or a bride giving the groom a playful pinch on the derriere. For truly humble gentlemen, a bride kissing a frog says it all. And for those who want to wear white regardless of the facts of life, another topper shows an expectant bride, complete with groom stroking the baby bump.

Geography can also be a consideration in topper designs. Western themes include a Texas gun-toting couple and a bride lassoing her man. Those bound for a Hawaiian honeymoon will enjoy a grass-skirt scene under the palm trees or a tropical flower, along with beaches, starfish and dolphins.

• The company is part of weddingmountain.com; both companies are owned by Woodland Manufacturing, an Internet retailer that offers a wide array of products
• Headquartered in Meridian, Idaho, the company began operation in 2001

Ethnic toppers recognize diversity, featuring couples with African-American, Asian, Hispanic and Indian heritage, a Jewish couple with the groom wearing a yarmulke, and mix and match interracial couples. The option to purchase individual figurines permits the depiction of two brides or two grooms.

If none of the above grabs the couple, there’s always the option for custom-made toppers. From photos, the smiling faces will be replicated in polymer clay, with a variety of poses available, ranging from the traditional to the silly, providing likenesses to last a lifetime.

Weddings, we hope, are the beginning of many years of happiness. The 50% of couples who escape divorce have something to look forward to: the company’s line of 25^th and 50^th anniversary toppers. Caketoppers most certainly comes out on top, with many anniversary celebrations of its own to come.