1. Colleen – “I want to start my own business. Any suggestions?”

Congratulations. There is nothing better than joining the rank of the unemployable by creating your own destiny and rules! I am very excited for you. Chose a business that is close to your passion for the greatest success. If that fails….here are 12 new business ideas from recent editions of Springwise:

1. For a modest annual fee, residents of New York City can now have copies of their house, car or business keys safely stored by NewYourKey (www.newyourkey.com). Then, if the customer loses their keys, NewYourKey will deliver a spare within an hour, any time of day or night.

2. Two British companies are now offering certified halal meat-based baby foods (www.halalbabyfoods.com) to Muslim mothers who, because of the lack of such products in the past, often delayed the switch from milk to solids, leading to babies developing iron and protein deficiencies. The offerings include ten varieties of baby food suitable for infants from 4 to 7+ months old.

3. Following the trend to sophisticated and leisurely pursuits for an affluent population, entrepreneur and cheese expert, Sara Vivenzio, has opened the Cheese School of San Francisco (www.cheeseschoolsf.com) which offers beginner to advanced courses in cheese selection, storage and wine pairing as well as courses in cheese making. Sara also offers private and corporate events.

4. CloakVRoom (www.cloakVRoom.com) provides portable coat and small-package checking services at music festivals and other large outdoor events using large, customer-fitted trucks. Customers are given a numbered wristband with cloakVRoom's telephone # and Website so that if anyone leaves an item behind, they can reclaim it and have it mailed to them.

5. A British company (www.specialbike.co.uk), recycles old or abandoned bicycles into custom tailored, one-of-a-kind bikes in eye-popping colours and finishes.

6. Women entrepreneurs in the UK, Moscow, Dubai and Teheran have started "pink" taxi companies with female passengers for female drivers. The intent is to create a safer environment for women passengers and drivers. In Moscow, the original fleet, consisting of two pink taxis, has grown to 20 cars and 27 drivers.

7. Umbrolly, a British umbrella company now places umbrella vending machines in public spaces.

8. 3.5 billion wire hangers are tossed into landfills every year in the United States. Hanger Network (www.hangernetwork.com) has developed a sturdy and cheap alternative...a dry cleaner's hanger made entirely from recycled paper. Because they're paper, they can be completely covered in full-colour advertising and the advertisers pay for the hangers.

9. Since newborns grow out of their clothing every month or so, a German company, Lütte-Leihen (www.luette-leihen.de) has come up with a solution...for a fixed monthly fee they provide parents of newborns with a range of bodysuits, pajamas, sox and hats that have been cleaned and can be exchanged for a larger size every month as the baby grows. Besides saving parents the expense of clothes that are worn only briefly, Lütte-Leihen's service spares them the hassle of shopping for new items during a period in their lives when time is at a premium.

10. Pascal Riffaud, former concierge at hotels like the St. Regis in New York and the Ritz in Paris, has created a restaurant booking service in New York called PrimeTime Tables, specializing in impossible to get reservations. For an annual membership fee of $450 per year and a per-reservation fee, Pascal will get you a prime table at the most exclusive restaurants...guaranteed.

11. Avis Car Rental now offers fully insured and qualified chauffeurs to drive your Avis rental car for an additional $30 per hour. The drivers pick up customers in their rental cars from the baggage claim area or passenger loading zone, then chauffeur them around town. Finally, the driver will drop them off back at the airport and return the rental car at the end of their trip. The saving from hiring a driver and a car from a limo company is about 35%.

12. Thanks to a Canadian company, Allergy Translation Card (www.allergytranslations.com), international travelers with food allergies or dietary restrictions can now get customized cards printed out in any one of 22 languages to show to restaurants, grocers or hosts overseas. Customers simply log onto Allergy Translation's website and enter information about their particular food allergies or sensitivities. Then, they select the language of their destination and for $8 they print out the information they need. It's an easy way to ensure that dietary restrictions are accurately communicated, without having to fumble through a foreign language dictionary.

The point here is that the world is still full of possibilities. You just have to see them and know what to do with them. Don't forget to sign up to receive the free, weekly Springwise (www.springwise.com) E- Newsletter. It's a great "possibilities" idea generator. Again I emphasis…who could make this stuff up!