For Subscribers

Snow Business These entrepreneurs said to heck with scraping ice from their windshields in winter, and came up with a solution to the chore.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

What: No2Snow Eliminator, a neoprene cover thateliminates ice and snow buildup on car windshields
Who: Dave and Melissa Brown, co-founders of Sno-WayTechnologies LLC
Where: Indianapolis
When: Started in November 2004

Like many Americans, Dave and Melissa Brown have a two-cargarage that houses everything but their two cars. Because they parkoutside during the winter, scraping ice and snow off theirwindshields every morning became a burdensome chore. After fieldingnumerous complaints from his wife and empathizing with her, Dave,37, set out to find a product to eliminate the task altogether.

The selection was slim, and the few products out there werecumbersome and ineffective, so he began experimenting withdifferent materials to design a solution. "I was motivated tomake my mornings easier," says Dave.

He spent the winter of 2003 developing a windshield cover thateventually became the No2Snow Eliminator. At three-sixteenths of aninch thick and made from lightweight neoprene, it is impervious toall water elements and seals itself to the windshield with onestrap to keep it in place. The cover rolls up for easy storage.

The Browns took out a business loan for over $25,000, purchasedneoprene in bulk and began manufacturing out of their garage. Theyestablished Sno-Way Technologies LLC and their website in November2004.

Melissa, 37, instantly sparked sales after calling in to marketthe product on Tom Martino's radio show, a nationallysyndicated consumer-advocacy broadcast. Within two months, Sno-WayTechnologies brought in over $25,000.

The Browns have since partnered with a manufacturer that alsohandles the marketing and distribution of the product. With theNo2Snow Eliminator available at local markets and through Amazon.com, 2006 salesof the $24.95 product are projected at $120,000 to $150,000.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

After a 12-Year-Old's Side Hustle Made Over $4,000 in 1 Day, He and His Dad Grew the Business to Nearly $50,000 a Month: 'It Takes Commitment'

Madden Forrest and his father, Steven, turned their passion for football into a lucrative business.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Here Are the 10 Highest-Paying Jobs For New Graduates With a Bachelor's Degree — and They All Start at Six Figures

According to a new report from Resume Genius, finding a high-paying job as a new grad is possible, even in this market.

Business News

10 Surprising and Inspiring Quotes From Brian Wilson, the Genius Behind The Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds'

The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson died this week at age 82, but his music is still blowing minds.

Marketing

Why Knowing Your Customer Drives Smarter Growth (and Higher Profits)

What if the secret to skyrocketing your sales and customer loyalty is already in your data?