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After Karen Conroy learned her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, she decided to sign up for the Susan G. Komen 3-day walk. After seeing how many people struggled to raise their requisite $2,200, she knew she had to come up with a better way. And she did.

In January 2008, she left corporate America and launched Fundraising For A Cause Inc. The company sells breast cancer fundraising merchandise in bulk at wholesale prices instead of asking for generic donations.

This allows for people to shift their thinking from pure donation to getting something tangible in return. She started with offering about 25 different items. The very first month she took over 100 orders with no marketing just by word of mouth.

Today she has over 85 items for sale and is hoping to expand and have a total of 6 different causes launched by the end of 2008. Her business is booming, growing in sales volume every month. Each month they break the prior month's sales records.

Great concept. Great cause. Great recession busting performance.