The annual search for the right Christmas present led young entrepreneur Linda Vavříková to start an unusual business — fulfilling people's dreams. "I knew that I wanted to do a business on my own, and I soon came across an idea to trade in gifts," Vavříková said, recalling her thought process two years ago.

"It was clear to me that selling regular gifts was not a good idea because such business is demanding on one's startup capital and the market was rather saturated," she said.

Soon, however, Vavříková, then a 22-year-old journalism student at Charles University, had a breakthrough idea. "I was always searching for what to give my dad for Christmas, and then I realized that one can also give a memorable experience rather than tangible goods."

Vavříková tapped into a relatively unexplored market in the Czech Republic — and her www.allegria.cz netted a pile of cash. On Nov. 30, she won 2006's Entrepreneur of the Year, an award given by the Bison & Rose communication agency and based on a vote by the public.

Vavříková started her business in November 2005: a Web site called Allegria, on which she offers to fulfill unusual dreams that many people have but few actually experience.

Her first customer came a week after the site launched. A woman bought her husband a one-day session with a professional photographer.

The company has a portfolio of nearly 200 different experiences. The most popular for women is a package called, "Let Yourself Be Pampered." The best-selling package for men, surprisingly, allows them to operate a backhoe for an entire working day.

Other adventures include brewing beer, flying gliders and a Millionaire's Day, on which a private driver escorts customers to posh clubs and a restaurant with a personal chef.

"We offer packages from honey massages for 1,000 Kč to driving a Formula 3 car on a racetrack for 45,000 Kč," Vavříková said.

The young entrepreneur said she initially thought she would be mostly selling to men looking for last-minute gifts for their wives or girlfriends, but 60 percent of her clients are women "looking for something to please their men."

The ideas for specific adventures come from Vavříková's friends, service providers and customers.

She said Allegria does not often reject customers' requests. Recently, the company had to turn down a request to have a SWAT team perform a mock kidnapping on the lucky recipient — but not because the request was over the top.

"It came to us too late, and we didn't have time to make the arrangements," Vavříková said.

Otherwise, she said her company can even make arrangements for would-be space tourists.

"If they give us enough time to arrange things, we can do it," she said.

Keeping her eyes open

So far, Allegria has not seen any major market competition, Vavříková said.

"There are companies that offer some adventures, but they have it more as a side activity," she said. "No one has come up with the complex offers we have."

Among Allegria's competitors is event management agency Fortissimo, which allows customers to drive a military tank. Fortissimo Project Manager Klaudie Soukupová said that draws a lot of attention.

The demand for adventure gifts in the Czech Republic is increasing, Soukupová says, and Vavříková's success in the Entrepreneur of the Year competition could help further promote this niche.

"She could well become our business partner," Soukupová said.

Vavříková admitted that further increasing her business depends on networking and the quality of Allegria's business partners.

"It's essential to be surrounded by creative people and have a good network of business partners," she said.

Vavříková is considering expanding her company, which is currently run by her, her boyfriend and a few part-time workers hired according to the amount of requests coming in. Currently, 60 new adventure packages are being developed.

Vavříková says she is not worried about Allegria running out of original ideas.

"It's about keeping your eyes open, wherever you are. I always have a pen and paper with me to take notes in case I come across something interesting."

Word of mouth

The recent award is a double boost to Vavříková.

"It's good to see that we are on the right path," she said. "Also, our company stepped into the spotlight just in time, when people were searching for Christmas presents."

After Vavříková took the prize, sales of adventure packages rose 100 percent, and dozens of customers bombard the team with inquiries every day. Allegria currently pushes packages that fit into people's Christmas budgets.

While Allegria advertises on the Internet, most of Vavříková's business has come via word of mouth.

"We count on the positive references that our customers give," Vavříková said.