10 Ideas that Made $100 Million

By Michelle Fox, CNBC.com

Chances are, just about anyone you talk with will have an idea for a business that they think can make millions. Although business pitches may be easy to come by, turning those ideas into wins is a whole new ballgame. However, many entrepreneurs with simple ideas and humble beginnings have been able to effectively turn the ideas into winning businesses.

Names like Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, and Mark Zuckerberg usually come to mind when people think about those lucky few who have cashed in on their ideas, but you don't have to live in Silicon Valley or Seattle to turn your idea into millions.

So what does it take to make $100 million? You may be surprised. Read ahead to see 10 people and the ideas that made $100 million or more!


See the full slideshow: 10 Ideas That Made $100 Million


Sara Blakely — SpanxSara Blakely - Spanx

One night, Sara Blakely cut off the bottom of her pantyhose and the idea of Spanx was born. Armed with $5,000 in savings, Blakely researched and wrote her patent for footless pantyhose and drove around North Carolina begging mill owners to make her product. Most told her it would never sell, but one owner decided to take a chance and help her make her "crazy idea."

In 2000, her prototype was perfected and she started hitting up high-end department store buyers. In the first three months, she sold over 50,000 pairs from the back of her apartment. Now her "crazy idea" has grown to include a full range of products that are sold around the world, and Blakely is soaring high. In March, she landed on the Forbes World's Billionaires 2012 list, which estimated the company's revenue at just under $250 million.


Tom and Kate Chappell — Tom's of MaineTom and Kate Chappell - Tom's of Maine

Tom and Kate Chappell moved to Maine in 1968 hoping to simplify their lives. When they found it difficult to find natural, unprocessed foods and products, they decided to create and sell what they were looking for themselves. They borrowed $5,000 to start Tom's of Maine in 1970, and peddled all-natural shampoo and personal care products to natural food stores. Their breakthrough came five years later when they launched their leading product - Tom's of Maine toothpaste.

By 1999, sales surpassed $40 million, and in 2006 Colgate Palmolive bought 84 percent of Tom's of Maine for $100 million. Now the Chappells have a new venture - Rambler's Way Farm, which creates wool garments.


Mary Ellen Sheets — Two Men and a TruckMary Ellen Sheets - Two Men and a Truck

Mary Ellen Sheets never imagined that hauling trash would turn into a multi-million dollar company. In the early 1980s, Sheets's sons, Jon and Brig Sorber, started doing odd jobs for locals, using their pickup truck to haul trash and brush from people's yards and moving furniture.

Once the boys went off to college, the phone kept ringing. So Mary Ellen hired two men and bought another truck for $350. At first it was a hobby, but by the late-1980's, she quit her job to focus on the business full-time. She also made another life-changing decision: she decided to franchise.

Today, Two Men and a Truck has 224 locations in 34 states. Brig Sorber has replaced his mom as CEO, but Mary Ellen Sheets still serves on the board of directors and Jon Sorber is an executive with the company. In 2011, Two Men and a Truck conducted 353,761 moves and had a total of $220 million in sales.


Bert and John Jacobs designed their first t-shirts in 1989 and hawked them on the streets of Boston and at colleges …Bert and John Jacobs - Life is Good

Bert and John Jacobs designed their first t-shirts in 1989 and hawked them on the streets of Boston and at colleges along the East Coast. But for five years, success eluded them. Then, in 1994, they struck upon the idea to use a design of a cartoon figure called Jake and the motto "Life is good." People seemed to embrace the simple message of optimism - the shirts were a hit at a local street fair and retailers soon became interested.

Now Jake's face and motto are on more than just shirts. You can find him and other characters smiling on products from towels and totes to coffee mugs and dog leashes. And life sure is good now for Bert and John Jacobs. Business is booming, with 2011 sales coming in at about $100 million.


Jennifer Telfer — Pillow PetsJennifer Telfer - Pillow Pets

The idea for Pillow Pets dawned on Jennifer Telfer after watching her young sons smash down their stuffed animals in order to sleep on them like a pillow. She set about creating stuffed animals that unfolded into plush pillows.

She and her husband decided to wholesale the products themselves in 2003 through their company, CJ Products, and began by hawking them at a mall kiosk during the holiday season. By the end of the year, after Jennifer introduced Pillow Pets at a home show, they were nearly sold out. The cuddly toy has since exploded, with $300 million in sales in 2010.


Jim Koch – Boston Beer CompanyJim Koch - Boston Beer Company

You could say beer is in Jim Koch's blood. His father was a fifth-generation brewer but Jim left the family business as a few big brewers took over the market. Koch returned to his roots when he saw people were starting to crave something different. He dug out his great-great grandfather's recipe and started brewing in his kitchen. Once his sample brew was perfected, he left his job as a management consultant, and went door to door to Boston bars trying to sell Samuel Adams Boston Beer Lager.

Today the company is the largest craft beer brewer, with over 30 different beer styles. It still uses all-natural ingredients, which Koch travels around the world to hand-select, and employs traditional brewing methods.

The hard work has paid off. The company says it has won more awards in international beer-tasting competitions than any other brewery in the world. It's also is a money maker - The Boston Beer Company pulled in $513 million in net revenue in 2011.


See the full slideshow: 10 Ideas That Made $100 Million


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