Glow On
This entrepreneur found a business idea in a material that sparked his creativity.
When it comes to the uses of electroluminescent wire, many might
draw a blank. Others, like Benjamin James Jr., founder of
production company Funhouse Productions, see the bendable, glowing
phosphor wire and envision a luminescent, colorful school of 4-foot
fish swimming through the pitch-dark Nevada desert.
In 1999, James brought his fish to life at Burning Man, an
annual art festival, and was further inspired to import the
Israeli-made wire after realizing how difficult the material was to
obtain. He trademarked the wire Cool Neon and revolutionized his
12-year-old Oakland, California, business by becoming the primary
source for wire artists worldwide. Cool Neon applications range
from necklaces to safety lighting. And with help from his eager
friends, James has taken on some innovative projects, including
making glowing suits for the recording artist Beck.
"There's a wide margin between business and
pleasure," says James, 40, who expects 2006 sales to exceed
$450,000. "It's so wide that there's plenty of room
for all my friends to dance on the line."