From ways to make a quick buck to schemes to change the world, the 10th Annual Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge received more than 70 entries this year.

At the links to the left, you will read about the top three winners, selected by our panel of judges, and the "People's Pick," which was chosen after our readers cast more than 4,400 online votes.

The business plan contest is open to everyone from wanna-be entrepreneurs who never do more than sketch out ideas on their lunch break to brick and mortar or online start-ups less than a year old. They were judged on the quality and creativity of their two-page business plans.

This year's batch of winners is as diverse as they come -- from successful business executives starting second careers to college graduates just getting started. But they all share a similar business philosophy: entrepreneurship as way of solving problems. Whether it's a store designed for those who suffer from life-threatening food allergies or a tangle-free leash for owners of multiple dogs, these business plans take a creative approach to making the world a safer and more convenient place.

So the next time you stumble across an obstacle, go ahead and grumble, but then make a plan to get around it. You might find your solution is next year's winner of The Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge.

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@