As of 2013 (a long time ago, I know) there were somewhere in the neighborhood of ~ 550,000 businesses starting in the U.S. every day (source).
Sadly, more than that are shut down in the same time frame. While this might seem discouraging, it just means that competition is self-balancing and the market will always be begging for fresh ideas, or even more fresh entrepreneurs to adopt already accepted and wanted business models.
Here’s my wishlist of 5 businesses I’d start this year if I had the extra time and energy (feel free to use them yourself):
1. Doggy Date Organizer
Yep! I’d like to someday set up a vetted service that brings canines of all shapes and sizes together for a “doggy date”. As the “owner” of a happy 5 year old lab who’s so friendly and well-trained I can walk him down main street without a leash, I’ve seen my fair share of misbehaving pups.
It’s not them really, it’s their owners most times. See, everyone’s so afraid of getting into problems with other dogs, they cross the street and/or yank on the dog’s leash and otherwise do everything they can to avoid other people’s dogs. This makes dogs aggressive and/or anti-social — the exact opposite of what their genetic makeup is all about.
I’d like to make it easier for owners to socialize their dogs by setting up a network/service of vetted dogs and dog owners, where they can come together like people going on a Tinder or POF date.
What do you think? Steal this idea!
2. Friend Coaching
Hey, I’m not a bad guy to be around. Why not make some extra cash and meet new people all in one fell swoop? There are a lot of people out there who find it awkward to socialize with people under normal circumstances in public (ahem: I’m talking to all you gamer addicts out there!)
These poor folks don’t even know where to start when it comes to establishing a friendship with a stranger. I’d offer my services via telephone pole ads placed in the places where these social averse folks hang out: Chapters, EB Games, head shops, etc, etc. As it started to take off, I’d also advertise on Google Ads as the idea took off.
All implied humor withstanding, I think this one is a great idea if you understand people and know how to make them comfortable. Hey, these PUA coaches do the same stuff for men seeking women, why assume that in a world where there’s more “antisocialism” than ever that there aren’t people looking to learn how to make friends and pay for it?
3. Local Grocery Service
This one is much less unique than the first two I mentioned. However, I’ve lost count of the number of people whom I personally know that use such services. As an aside, I know a guy I went to high school with who runs a local beer/liquor delivery service using his Toyota Tercel and makes a happy living from it — he’s too busy, apparently.
Grocery services aren’t new, but they aren’t going anywhere either. For a fee, you’d go out and shop for different single people and families, then agree to a drop-off time that meets the confines of their schedule.
I think this idea could be really profitable if you have property that you could grow a selection of common fruits and veggies organically and include them in the mix. Think tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, celery, carrots, melons, etc. This could be a goldmine and quite scalable if one gets the logistics right!
4. Mobile Car Cleaning Service
Yet another that’s not nearly unique. However, with today’s app-driven culture, this type of thing can really take off. If you can get an app in front of as many eyes as possible, this could be very lucrative.
I’d operate off the desperation angle with this one, nailing down the people driving their messy, disgusting autos to work in the morning, wishing they had the time to either clean it themselves or stop by their local detailer:
Suddenly, an ad comes up on the radio (or whatever) telling them if they’re sick of staring at the thousand and one coffee cups and spill stains all over their vehicle, simply download the “Make it Clean NOW” app and we’ll come to you — wherever you are. Make it Clean NOW will come, clean your car, collect a premium fee and maybe even offer a discounted “touch up” service weekly or monthly for a reasonable fee. What do you think?
5. Mr. Accountability
Mr. Accountability doesn’t know you from Jack or Jill. He doesn’t care why you aren’t making 100 cold calls a day, or how come you haven’t called your mum in two months. All Mr. Accountability cares about is that you’re paying him (handsomely) to come to your house, coffee shop, work, whatever — every day to kick your lazy arse into gear!
Sounds funny, but seriously: If someone can’t get the things they want done, done, why wouldn’t they pay someone else to do it. In this new mobile era, it’s easier than ever to pay someone to harass you into adopting an action-based mindset.
Mr. Accountability knows what you want, and he’s gonna make sure you get it — or else! Sounds like borderline thriller-movie material if executed poorly, but I think this one has winner written all over it. Watch Tony Robbins on YouTube as much as you want. I’ll be right there in your face ya’ll!
Main Image Credit: Daniel Hoherd/Flickr
