Entrepreneurship

Iranians live under strict rules that govern their public lives, but inside people's homes and businesses the scene is quite different. Borzou Daragahi tells the tale of two women who used their different backgrounds to stitch together a business.

Marketplace's Steve Tripoli has noticed an international trend -- entrepreneurs in developing economies calling for the rule of law to protect their business interests. He explains to Kai Ryssdal.

The business model for TOM's Shoes gives an impoverished child a pair of shoes for each customer that buys a pair. Brett Brune reports the for-profit nature of the company helps it stay in motion.

Among the films opening this week is "There Will Be Blood." Daniel Day-Lewis stars as a wildcat oil driller in this loose adaptation of an Upton Sinclair novel. Commentator John Brady says the film offers a look at some uniquely American themes.

A community of Cistercian monks in Wisconsin has developed a Web business reselling ink and toner cartridges for printers at a discount. Sarah Caniglia wrote a book about her experiences helping the "laser monks" run their website. She talks with host Amy Scott.

The average annual income in Lesotho is $100 a year, but a $195 donation can buy a family an income-generating piglet that can boost that income substantially. Gretchen Wilson reports.

When social entrepreneurs' mission-oriented businesses get big enough they also attract serious buyers. Steve Tripoli reports on how some business owners have dealt with the dilemma of turning over the mission to someone else.

A small-but-growing source of funding for social entrepreneurs, called "community development venture capital," has helped revive a cannery in a remote Maine community. Steve Tripoli reports in his series on social entrepreneurship.

Some people use their businesses to help fix what needs fixing. In the first of a series, Steve Tripoli reports on a Boston woman who's spent years fine-tuning the balance between her company's business and social goals.