Bowlds, once territorial manager at Eaton Corp., could not ignore the economic disparities – how blacks only retail 3 percent of their gross net income, while owning less than 4 percent of U.S. small businesses. Then, after ten years of research and coaching others, he decided to create a solution.

“I felt that responsibility for changing the economic status. It’s not going to come from anyone else, because no one else has an invested interest,” he said.

Bowlds realized that through the Internet, the ambitious could pool together their own resources for entrepreneurship, then a profit. He then remembered this basic principle: “The best place to start is within your own community.”

The end result of his brainstorming is African American Connection, an online marketplace that Bowlds hopes will inspire as well as facilitate financial independence.

“When it comes to meeting their financial needs and aspirations, they think of it in context of getting a job, getting a sports contract, or getting a deal with the government – something outside of our own communal wealth,” he said.

That he strives to change, as the Web site hosts two marketplaces. One provides general merchandise through major retailers like Wal-Mart and Macy’s, and the other sources products offered through African American Connection merchants.

Entrepreneurs who register may also utilize a personal shopping cart, payment processing center, and a biweekly webinar, in addition to partnerships with four major wholesale sources – in sum, “a mechanism that would create more retail merchants.”

“We fashion ourselves like a real mall,” Bowlds said. “It is really a system where we can all work together to pull our aggregate resources to one center.”

For more information, call 1-888-ACC-8842 or visit African American Connection.

But once her family knew what to do – take shorter showers, turn off the faucet while brushing their teeth – Smith still found herself struggling to break old habits of her husband and teenage kids.

“And then it just occurred to me,” as Smith recalled, “it would have been a lot easier to learn those things when you’re very young.”

What could have remained a wistful thought instead became the premise behind one of this year’s most talked-about toys. Both BusinessWeek and Time have taken note of Idbids – the company formed by Smith and fellow mother Sarah Albarez – and their Eco-friendly Starter Kits. Made entirely out of recycled and organic materials, these kits also deliver to children what could be their first lessons in environmentally conscious behavior.

Leading such lessons are three characters – Scout the cloud, Lola the flower, and Waverly the water drop – in a picture book and “field guide” printed on recycled paper with eco-friendly inks. In plush form, they are made entirely out of organic cotton, like the kit’s backpack in which everything can be stowed. These characters, according to Smith, were designed as deliberately as they were made.

“We have made Idbids characters look very simple because kids like to draw things all the time. They may draw that cloud and do the face on it [like Scout],” she said. “The thing is, when they look up at the sky and the clouds, we hope that they will look at it a little differently – that they’ll think it’s something that they do want to take care of and learn about.”

Finding the right cotton for their plush toys – which Smith described as feeling “almost like your lovable ol’ blankee” – became the most difficult part of creating the kit. After the company became a member of the Organic Trade Association, its co-founders researched extensively online to find a manufacturer that grew and processed its cotton properly, with valid certifications.

“Because of the nature of what we’re trying to teach, we are going to strive to make our products in the most environmentally friendly way that we can,” Smith said.

And, as Idbids and its kits rose to popularity, the steps Smith’s family has made to conserve has also amounted up to one very environmentally-conscious household.

“Surprisingly enough, our habits have changed a lot,” she said, “though I still think it would have been easier if I had Waverly when the kids were two or three.”

Idbids, P.O. Box 888405, Atlanta, GA 30356. Call 1-877-443-2437 or visit www.idbids.com .

This Halloween retail season will last longer than last year’s, with Halloween on a Friday rather than a Wednesday. This could mean for retailers that “their strongest sale days are yet to come,” said Howard Beige, executive vice-president of Rubie’s Costume Company.

As for costume wholesalers, they can still sell easily what they have either deemed the “classics” or the “perennials”: witches, pirates, vampires. And more than ever, they are selling to online retailers and temporary stores, ones that stay open solely for the Halloween season. This year, costume wholesalers have been as busy as ever, to bring the new and exciting costumes to storefronts across the U.S.:

• Spotlight Costumes
  “We are small but mighty,” said owner Kim Brown. Spotlight Costumes mainly supplies full ensembles for theatrical productions and themed weddings.However, for Halloween it also ships out to 350 brick and mortar costume shops, with most concentrated in the east coast. The former National Costumers Association president also designs each costume, the most popular ones of the wholesale line being the flapper, the pimp, the Tin Man, and Marie Antoinette.
• Franco American Novelty Company
  Franco American Novelty Company has been distributing to an increasing amount of temporary stores, said Jay Dinhofer, one of the company’s account executives. He added to any number of their 4,000 total retail store fronts, they have shipped thousands of its Cleopatra women’s costumes. That being the company’s best seller is a testament to consumers’ growing appreciation of the industry.
  “Instead of going sexy and short – as the trend may be – this has more to do with the sophistication today that is available at reasonable prices,” Dinhofer said.
• Disguise
  Disguise claims itself to be the second largest costume manufacturer in the U.S. This San Diego wholesaler has sent out about a million costumes this year, said Bernice Nesbit, senior marketing manager. Disguise’s biggest sellers this year stem from their movie and television licenses. Boys will likely be seen as either Iron Man or Transformers characters, while girls will probably transform into either Hannah Montana or Disney princesses. The company also offers an easy, timely idea for adults, with their Obama and McCain masks.
• Rubie’s Costume Company
  This New York-based wholesaler has distributed over 25 million costumes to retail store fronts this year, Beige said. And if any manufacturer/distributor could prove that movies drive the Halloween costume business, it is this one. (After all, it is the largest of its kind in the world. Rubie’s has offices in Europe and Asia, in addition to those all over North America.) Key licenses Rubie’s obtained include “The Dark Knight,” Indiana Jones and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” But of course, the boys cannot be allowed to have all the fun. Popular girls’ costumes this year include Sharpay and Gabriella from “High School Musical.”

Three generations of Rileys have contributed to the company’s success. “Go out and clean the warehouse,” and “Box that up,” were common commands that Mike Riley heard from his father while growing up. Mike still works for the company, though now with cousin John in its customer service department.

But while its familial support remains constant, R.G. Riley’s specialty and operations have changed since its founding. While the company’s first worked with sock and hosiery manufacturers in the 1920s, it now ships out irregular T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other activewear from brands like Hanes, Gildan, Fruit of the Loom and Russell.

With an average of 80 full-time employees, R.G. Riley has exhibited in the Off-Price Specialist Show and the ASD/AMD Trade Show since their inceptions, according to Mike. But while the company showcases its products just a few times a year, customers can order them online year-round.

The catalog, which launched in 2003 at www.rgriley.com , is dynamic, or continuously updated. It uses Ajax calls – a JavaScript and XML command that processes user requests seamlessly. This allows customers live to see how the company’s inventory is changing, at all times.

“It has created a lot of functionality at our Web site, and allows customers to put in the amount of time they want,” Mike said.

But with an inventory updated “by the nanosecond,” as Mike states, the company must also make sure that their prices are updated just as promptly.

“Small and medium-sized entrepreneurs know when a price is right and when a price is wrong,” Mike said. “It creates a lot of pressure on us to keep prices at market conditions.”

According to Mike, company survival – or “being the best at what you do” – is more than providing quality products and customer service. He, like his customers, know that keeping his eye on current market conditions is also crucial – and perhaps the only other strategy he needs.

“I’m still young enough that I don’t need to be thinking of our fourth generation,” Mike said.