Women entrepreneurs: Submit an idea, win $1,000 by this Friday

Leave yours...

Is this really a good idea? Tell another company all of your business ideas! If I were them I'd just award the prize to the 3rd or 4th best idea and keep the rest...

While the idea behind the contest is good - get more women entrepreneuring (is that a verb?), the execution is weak. Every little bit helps, but $1000 isnt going to make the difference between starting or not starting a company

I agree with Ramit. Ideas, however good, are a dime a dozen. I've got a list of 50 good ideas. Why only 50? Because I limit the list to 50. New entries have to be better than old.

Unfortunately old is what I am (35, over the threshold).

Ideas are cheap, and sadly people don't realize that. Like Ramit said, until you act upon the idea it is nothing but an idea. Its not worth $10 million dollars, its not worth anything until its executed.

Just a sad fact most people don't realize.

All you intelligent, driven, dynamic women out there, stop reading this. Napkins are cheaper than ideas, talk is even cheapter - Just make it happen; pull out a pen and tear up that napkin with your best idea!

This one is for you - embrace it!

Colin,

$1000 won't make a difference, sure maybe. What about access to 12 stellar judges in one room? What about access to two high profile VCs?

Let's calculate the net worth of the people you can access through the Napkin Challenge - priceless in my opinion.

Is this weak execution? Did we miss something?

I don't think it's anyone's place to discourage anyone else from trying. Highlighting the negative and being snarky is something the media does, not the startup CEOs and fearless entrepreneurs.

Colin: Like your blog states, "Your thoughts influence what happens to you."

Women 2.0 encourages young entrepreneurs to try, because you never know what will happen until you venture forward. $1000 is may not be a lot of money for someone aiming to build the next Google or Yahoo web 2.0 acquisition, but if it can incite people to venture forward in any way...

And I completely agree, execution is key. The April 25th Pitch Event will allow finalists and participants to interact with our Judging Panel of top executives, venture capitalists, and successful entrepreneurs.

Learn from the best. Women 2.0 is providing another opportunity to meet, interact, and mix with the best, along with your like-minded, motivated peers interested in business, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Thanks for posting this, Ramit. Entrepreneurship is a great way to create valuable experiences, gain leverage and keep yourself competitive. Might as well be venturesome, especially while we're still young (Rich Dad, Poor Dad, anyone?).

I'm young and female if someone needs a teammate :D

"I agree with Ramit. Ideas, however good, are a dime a dozen.

Unfortunately old is what I am (35, over the threshold)."

Good thing your blogging partner in crime is 29!

I do work for a company that got its start as a licensing company- they are big on protecting your ideas- they really are your number one asset.

That being said, even they see the world is changing. And for the record, if you have a really great idea that you are passionate about- chances are, nobody wants to steal it- or will not have the passion needed to bring it to life (tech perhaps excluded). Still,we can't be afraid to share our ideas.

Here's a msg from "The Secret" in addition to my input:

What you ask, vision and feel will come into existence. This contest could be someone's helping hand on their path to whatever they envisioned.

"Good thing your blogging partner in crime is 29! "

Yeah, rub it in E!

I can't see why they couldn't have made 36 their threshold...grumble, grumble, grumble.

Yep, its not about the $1,000. Its about access to resources. Its about confidence. Its about finally taking action and getting your s*** out there.

I'm overnighting my napkins ASAP! :0) This is a great opportunity! Thanks Ramit.

[...] Ramit Sethi posted about an opportunity for female entrepreneurs to submit an idea on a paper napkin and win $1,000 by Friday. Women 2.0 invites you to submit your business idea on a paper napkin no larger than 7×7 [...]

I'm also young and female and would be interested in joining a team. I also may start my own, tbd for now.

great idea. sadly i saw it too late. thanks for adding things like these to the site.

I beg to differ. I started my small business w/$1500 and made that back w/in a couple of months. nd I had sooooo many people tell me, "oh I had that idea years ago". Well, why didn't you do anything with it then? I have no patience for those people. Like many people here have said, ideas and talk about them are cheap. Sctually getting up off your butt w/ your $1000 (or whatever you have to invest) is the difference between making it and not making it.

I tried to get my wife to submit an idea; but, alas, no such luck.

The site looks great ! Thanks for all your help ( past, present and future !)

"Sanitary napkin" is the first thing that comes to my mind when I see the logo for this event, together with the words "women" and "napkin" -- not pleasant.