Check it Out: Why it's Good to Be Quirky

Dr. Garthen Leslie of Columbia, Md., creator of the Aros air conditioning unit, felt the same way. That is, until his idea was submitted to Quirky.

Quirky is a creative manufacturer/retailer that uses the power of crowdsourcing to produce products from ideas submitted by everyday people. Its mission is to make invention accessible by using the power of community to create a platform that helps consumers’ ideas become reality. Ben Kaufman, CEO of Quirky, founded the New York City-based company in 2009. Since then, he's grown it into a $50 million dollar business.