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Pretending to have a significant other is an activity that we, as a civilization, have been participating in for years for a whole variety of reasons. Beyond businesses that fall under the "escort" umbrella, this isn't the first time we've seen a business that aims to capitalize in the industry of romantic deception. 

I don't know how you feel about getting someone else to do your dirty work for you. But clearly, some of you out there really want to keep your hands clean - just not enough to avoid revenge altogether.

If you thought that "day drinking" was something better left behind with your college days, you might be pleasantly surprised to learn what a new company is encouraging people to do to trigger their creativity.

There's one big challenge when it comes to the creation of innovative businesses - there's only so much room to manipulate the business structure of more common concepts. These necessary businesses offer key services that we rely upon to go about our lives, and while they may be a dime a dozen to meet the demand, there is room for a little creativity.

New Year's Eve is fast approaching, and in just a matter of days transportation services will be in high demand. After all, drinking and driving is a terrible idea, and it is a time for celebrating with food and drink - often in excess. Taxi services come in a variety of formats, and one caters to a specific demographic.

Pay-as-you-go style compensation structures are not new, although they were once innovative in themselves. A la carte sushi allows you to pay per piece, cell phones have you pay-per-minute, and many services are offered by the hour. So, a business featuring a similar payment structure doesn't makes it unique. What does is the unit item that's being paid for - and it's certainly the first we've seen.

It stems from a story you've probably already heard about - where a Canadian man named Jordan Axani searched for a Canadian citizen named Elizabeth Gallagher, after a ticket around the world threatened to go to waste when his relationship ended. Then, as a kind of "pay it forward" he started a non-profit business to create similar opportunities for others.

Box of goodie subscriptions have been all the rage in the past year, with businesses offering door-to-door delivery of makeup, underwear, razors, beauty products, dog items, and even dates in a box (the activity, not the dried fruit). Another new concept has turned up the heat for the trend.

Have you ever found yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere, not yet at your final destination, and with no place to safely stay for the night? It's challenging when you're out on a little road trip, and just don't have access to a warm, dry place to lay your head that won't come with Norman Bates creeping around the minute you close the shower curtain. A genius solution ensures that a comfortable space is always available to you, no matter where you find yourself.

Ever since the original release of the Harry Potter books, people of all ages have been dreaming about having the opportunity to get a real wizard education. Bits and pieces of the Hogwart's experience have been offered in places like Disney World or King's Cross Station in London, England. But those attractions just aren't enough for true Potter devotees, but now they can fulfill their dreams.

With an increasing number of people focused on eating raw, healthy diets, vegetarian etas are more popular than ever - even with those that lean towards the carnivore category. So it shouldn't be a surprise that new, unique vegetarian and vegan restaurants are popping up in cities worldwide are popping up faster than you can say kombucha.

I know you're trying to make the most of the holiday season, and not think about what masochistic vows you'll make when 2015 arrives. But if you start thinking about them now and start planning ahead, all of those delicious fatty goodies you consume until them will taste even better. So think about the healthy changes you'll be making, and find ways to make them as convenient as possible. There's a cool new business that can start you off in the right direction.

Remember Samantha Hess, one of the first entreprenurs to get involved in the revolutionary cuddling industry? She's also the one reinventing everything, by taking her startup out of the bedroom and moving it to a more professional environment.

Taxi drivers serve a number of essential purposes in this world. They deal with unfortunate catastrophes that occur while shuttling drunk people around (taking the necessity from the rest of us), they listen to the mundane details of our daily lives, and they save us from walking or driving in unpleasant weather. Even with all of that, they're still underappreciated, but that may be about to change.

Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are pretty darn convenient as it stands. They eliminate the need for people to have a face-to-face conversation with another human being. And, they appear in places where there isn't even a traditional financial institution, which was a pretty innovative business plan in its time. But, cash convenience can be improved upon; if it comes to you.

Cities around the world have been encouraging locals to embrace cycling in lieu of contributing to environmental pollution by driving. Businesses have also been embracing this growing trend, offering a number of convenient services to cyclists. The latest one has to be among the most innovative yet.

These days it seems as though the minimum age requirement for using social media is getting progressively younger with each new development. While children and adolescents are on Facebook sharing the lunch packed by a doting parent, there's one age group that's noticeably absent in the creation of their own digital footprint - babies. However, a new niche company is destined to change that.

Psychopathic killers, stalker clowns, paranormal poltergeists - it's the season for them. We invite them into our lives by showcasing them on our televisions, retelling spooky tales by flashlight, and even paying to have them scare the pants off us. We've seen many businesses try their hand at the scare industry, but this Halloween we're featuring one that takes it to a level that only those with a criminal record have gone before. Seriously.

While some businesses struggled with the recent economic downturn, savvy business owners flourished and used tough business conditions to expand their businesses. One way that business owners can get a competitive advantage and grow their businesses is to look for smart ways to save on business costs. One area of opportunity to save is to be smarter is using business communication technologies like video conferencing.