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Student Voices:  Passion Spark Participants

Passion Ventures from Past Years

by Jerry Beckerman

Click on any button below for a visual or audio about that item

Tree Book

In a partnership with Scholastic, they wrote this book so that they could attach

to it our patented tree-kit (below), and distribute via their national book clubs.

 Tree kit scholastic book.png
Tree-kit Package

Patented tree-starter kit, front and back

 Tree kit front.png
Success with tree-kit
 Student with tree kit.png

In 1976, founded Cookies & Milk, the second chocolate chip cookie store in the United States, with 12 varieties of chocolate chip cookies.  Later, developed a package for broad distribution to supermarkets and other retailers.

Cookie Package
 Cookies & Milk carton.png
Cookie row poster.png
Varieties
Cookie article 1977.png
Press
Nutcrackers crackes

Founded and trademarked Nutcrackers in four varieties, arranged for high

volume contract-manufacturing, and distributed the line into supermarkets and other retailers nationally in the US.  A radio commercial example follows below.

 Nutcrackers front package.png
 Nutcrackers back package.png
Nutcracker Radio Spot

(Begins after eight second pause)

01 Nutcrackers Radio spot good
00:00 / 01:14
Press Spell Bee

Founded the nonprofit Segue Career Mentors and facilitated 90,000 Student Career Exposures (SCEs).  A university study found that 86% of participating students were more likely to believe that "more effort now = more options in their future."  A Harvard University study found, at the 95% confidence level, that those who received five or more SCEs, were significantly more likely to have success in "College Intentions," "Mastery Orientation," and "Future Talk."

Segue Spelling Bee Press Star1of2.png
Segue Spelling Bee Press Star2of2.png
Spell Bee Press
Adults hold a spelling bee that's not bu
00:00 / 03:55
Food Cart

Cosmopolitan Cafe:  Pilot in Century City (Los Angeles)  

Food cart and product breaks down for transportation in automobile

 Cosmopolitan Cafe cart photo.png
Opine

Founded a new product/new venture consultancy known as Opine Consultants.

These next two images show an overview, and respective details, of

the "Opine Six Stage Process from Idea to Marketplace."

 Opine brochure 2 of 3.png
 Opine brochure 3 of 3.png
GB Display

A new greeting card format, GreetingBox, fit the standard size greeting card racks with a tradition 5"x7" format.  Printed on cardboard with easy perforations, it enabled folding into a two-inch cube.  Weighing less than one ounce, it met all USPS mailing rules.  Optional displays demonstrated the fully folded GreetingBox. 

GreetingBox
 Greeting Box.png
BoxDice

BoxDice Sports Games:  Seven classic sports, plus Spell Sport,

model "zero-waste" packaging where the package folds up into

the product, with storage case.  Detail for soccer shown below.

 BoxDice games.png
Soccer single item.png
Soccer open pack.png
Soccer%20pieces%20out%20of%20case_edited_edited.jpg
Soccer all out w case.png
Heathsnack

In the late 1970's, served increasing consumer interest in healthy snacks,  

developed a line of dried fruit and nut snack packs under the Healthsnack brand.

 Healthsnack logo.png
Slot Car

First venture, at age eight, involved purchasing surplus slot cars from the manufacturer.  The cars were being sold for 5¢ when they normally retailed for $3.

Stories available.

 Slot car.png
FSA Advertising

Developed new advertising format, First Sight Advertising, FSA, by printing on the plastic bag into which newspapers were placed on rainy days.  Working plan was developed for year-round FSA use for the Long Beach Press Telegram.  Conceptual artwork examples shown below.

Side A of bag

 First Sight FSA side B.png

Side B of bag

 First Sight FSA.png
CA Bean Board

Six Varieties Quick Cook Bean Side Dishes

Developed for Seaside Products (California Dry Bean Advisory Board)

Bean Association product.png
Charter Foods

Developed new specialty foods venture, Charter Foods, for Lawry's Foods, a division of Lipton/Unilever.  Sourced and packaged new product lines, such a mustard line from France (Ducros), existing Lawry's products such as their salad dressings, and other products, some of which are shown below.

Charter mustard.png
Charter vanilla.png
Charter salad dressings.png
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