Warning: this is a shameless plug for our sister site Springwise, which is single-handedly supporting the 'STARBUCKING' phenomenon: the art of spotting a promising local new business and then quickly copying the concept to other cities, countries or continents, before their founders do.

(Why is it called STARBUCKING? Well, just imagine spotting Starbucks right after it got started in Seattle, including getting a low-down on why it was going to be successful.)

Springwise believes that in our global, highly integrated world, virtually any business concept that proves successful with sophisticated consumers in a certain country, will automatically do well in the rest of the world. Previous newsletters included everything from smart storage solutions and healthy fast food to heavenly beds and commercial car-sharing ventures.

The free Springwise newsletter already attracts thousands of subscribers from over 100 countries, and joining is easy: just go to www.springwise.com. Enjoy!