100 Unsexy Business Ideas: Name as many as you can!

[Thoelt53]

Awesome thread!

Posting here now to remind myself to throw up some ideas later.

 

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[WJK]

The "icky" factor is what allows higher returns on mobile home parks than regular multi units , hats off to you!

If my tenants could do better -- if they could see themselves doing better -- they wouldn't be my tenants!

 

[MoneyDoc]

Man threads like these pump me up for some reason.

Anyways, an idea that I’m actually starting with a partner: mobile oil change. Super convenient (for the customer). I used to work at a construction place and we had to manually drop off each truck at the mechanics for an oil change... we’re not talking about 1 truck, but HUNDREDS of trucks. Talk about time lost for the employer, especially in an industry like construction where finishing contracts on time is so important.

So you can target it as both a B2C, and B2B.

Keep on posting guys.

 

[LeoistheSun]

Invent something.

Just saw a video of this. Pretty brilliant...

This is a tool that removes ticks from pets/people. Its made from plastic and the idea is similar to a nail remover on a hammer...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089BOK12/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

 

[Real Deal Denver]

according to Walter Hay getting government contracts is next to impossible, big players with money can price you out by taking a loss (also nepotism), worth a shot though, hell sales is a people business - maybe you can get in on the nepotism with a little facetime. Military related you're up against big big big fish with deep pockets, military is too sexy
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in that vein...what about...who rents portapotties to FEMA? , where do they get the hygiene goods that go in the MRE's? , they have enlisted personal as medical on bases but who supplies the tongue depressors and the paper to cover examination tables?

or to avoid the nepotism and big deep pocket government contract whales, whos the decision maker on your local government? that might be worth looking into, when a stop sign gets knocked over wheres a new one come from? who supplies the asphalt to fill local potholes?

Been there, done that. It's better to take the day off.

You're absolutely right, on your first point. I used to get bids to supply things to the government. Total waste of time. Lost every one of them to either a black guy that got "ten points preference", so he could bid below my cost, but still make money because of the "preference points" boosted the price bid to something higher than was actually bid due to the "preference points" being added. If you're black, female, AND a vet, this can be YOUR ticket! Or, lost it to a bid that was so tightly written that only ONE product could fit the requirements - the one they wanted, of course.

So much of this was illegal, but go ahead and file a complaint. Then you get to deal with a government slacker that is paid to waste MORE of your time.

Rigged all the way, no matter how you cut it. And then, they're slow pay.

Who needs losers like this for customers? Yeah - if you're selling $100 million jets, or $125 hammers, okay...

As for selling commodity items, if you can sell lower than Amazon, you might have a shot at it. But only if a black female vet doesn't bid against you, that is.

The ONLY time I've ever heard someone making money selling to the government was a guy that sold them paint. He bought cheap paint and diluted it 50%.

Ha - gotta admire his thinking. The reason I know about this is he got caught and was sued - lost - and even went to prison for it. Well, it looked good on paper anyway...

 

[Mr.Brandtastic]

If you can do it, owning a car repair shop can be a license to steal.

 

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[Sagemoney]

Been there, done that. It's better to take the day off.

You're absolutely right, on your first point. I used to get bids to supply things to the government. Total waste of time. Lost every one of them to either a black guy that got "ten points preference", so he could bid below my cost, but still make money because of the "preference points" boosted the price bid to something higher than was actually bid due to the "preference points" being added. If you're black, Or, lost it to a bid that was so tightly written that only ONE product could fit the requirements - the one they wanted, of course.

So much of this was illegal, but go ahead and file a complaint. Then you get to deal with a government slacker that is paid to waste MORE of your time.

Rigged all the way, no matter how you cut it. And then, they're slow pay.

Who needs losers like this for customers? Yeah - if you're selling $100 million jets, or $125 hammers, okay...

As for selling commodity items, if you can sell lower than Amazon, you might have a shot at it. But only if a black female vet doesn't bid against you, that is.

The ONLY time I've ever heard someone making money selling to the government was a guy that sold them paint. He bought cheap paint and diluted it 50%.

Ha - gotta admire his thinking. The reason I know about this is he got caught and was sued - lost - and even went to prison for it. Well, it looked good on paper anyway...

Looks like I found my fastlane, you telling me all I had to do was be black?!?!

Pssshhhhh man MJ whyd you hide this?

Sorry y'all catch you in my mansion after I acquire all the government contract

/sarcasm

 

[Real Deal Denver]

Looks like I found my fastlane, you telling me all I had to do was be black?!?!

Pssshhhhh man MJ whyd you hide this?

Sorry y'all catch you in my mansion after I acquire all the government contract

/sarcasm

Forgot one. Disabled.

Find a black woman, vet, in a wheelchair, and you got it MADE!

But then you have to carry their a$$ until they feel like getting around to paying you...

 

[SquatchMan]

according to Walter Hay getting government contracts is next to impossible, big players with money can price you out by taking a loss (also nepotism), worth a shot though, hell sales is a people business - maybe you can get in on the nepotism with a little facetime. Military related you're up against big big big fish with deep pockets, military is too sexy

I know five people that own multi-million dollar companies and their only customer is the government.

One guy sells a very niche roof for government buildings across the country (federal, state, county, and city. he builds a team and sends them to whatever location to install the roof). Only a few companies in the country do what he does. His business is worth 8 figures.

One guy mows the median grass on the interstate during the summer. In the winter he plows snow.

One woman purchases and installs highway signs.

One guy (veteran) does a special thing for sidewalks.

One guy builds roads.

None of these people started with big money or had heavy contacts in the government.
Half of them didn't even go to college.
One guy didn't even finish high school.

Point being, you can make it work. All of them were breaking even for the first 2-3 years of business and doing small jobs. Generally have to work your way up to the big jobs.

 

[Kak]

according to Walter Hay getting government contracts is next to impossible, big players with money can price you out by taking a loss (also nepotism)

@MHP368 since when do we even consider throwing out an entire segment of the economy just because of one guy opining about its arduousness. That says barrier to entry and screams opportunity to me. Also I believe folks that do something for the sake of easier are only betraying their future selves.

Going head to head with the big boys over a missile contract... yeah that’s going to be pretty tough, but not impossible. Selling all the stop signs to a major city? I’d say it’s every bit as easy long term as these Amazon business will one day prove to be. The “I bought 50 grand in inventory on credit cards and my listings aren’t converting” posts are coming. Mark my words.

I know five people that own multi-million dollar companies and their only customer is the government.

One guy sells a very niche roof for government buildings across the country (federal, state, county, and city. he builds a team and sends them to whatever location to install the roof). Only a few companies in the country do what he does. His business is worth 8 figures.

One guy mows the median grass on the interstate during the summer. In the winter he plows snow.

One woman purchases and installs highway signs.

One guy (veteran) does a special thing for sidewalks.

One guy builds roads.

None of these people started with big money or had heavy contacts in the government.
Half of them didn't even go to college.
One guy didn't even finish high school.

Point being, you can make it work. All of them were breaking even for the first 2-3 years of business and doing small jobs. Generally have to work your way up to the big jobs.

Yep! Rep+

 

[Deleted50669]

View attachment 18998
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160 Billion dollars worth of value right here... Literally created out of government contracts and not much else. That is 160,000 Millions.

Amen

 

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[SquatchMan]

If you have lived in Florida, then you know about Bob:

This guy has a barricade company.

An 8-figure company... selling barricade services. He is only in one state. Imagine if he was in all 50. It'd probably be a billion dollar company!

Oh yeah, the owner's name isn't even Bob.

 

[Kak]

If you have lived in Florida, then you know about Bob:

This guy has a barricade company.

An 8-figure company... selling barricade services. He is only in one state. Imagine if he was in all 50. It'd probably be a billion dollar company!

Oh yeah, the owner's name isn't even Bob.

You mean it’s not an internet company in Silicon Valley and it’s worth 8 figures? Nonsense.

 

[luniac]

i been wanting to make an app for an overlooked niche for the longest time.

Something like an Info App. It's so easy to make:
1) Get good info
2) Get some graphics
3) Whip up nice looking info app
4) Put in Admob ads
5) Profit

Sadly have not found an expert in their field who has a good idea for an info app for their industry.
One friend is in IT but he says there's already lots of apps for that out there...

I know years back, medical info apps made money, but all that's saturated now.

There's gotta be something... something........

 

[MoneyDoc]

My friend and his Dad own a local metal recycling plant. They mainly recycle aluminum and steel cans (coke, Pepsi, etc.)

Their largest client is the City of Toronto waste services.

Another buyer is Pepsi Co. They buy the recycled aluminum sheets to remake more cans.

They started with 2 people and less than $7000 (I kid you not).

 

[minivanman]

As young people struggle to find decent jobs, the demographics of my generation seem to favor a more socialist "Bernie Sanders" style system which will probably turn the country into an anglo-saxon Brazilian "paradise". So this one will definitely make a ton of sense as the government expands; it's already way too large.

Maybe producing something military related could also be interesting?? Hmmmm... you're definitely on to something...

EDIT: Something that just came to mind: Weren't a lot of today's Russian oligarchs formerly active members of the communist party?

My buddy is a computer guy that makes things such as antennas for phones and all kinds of things like that. I met this other guy who is a vet and was looking to start a business. So we all 3 got together and formed a company. First of all, I get 3% of everything for being the guy that brought those 2 together. The vet gets contracts through the government. Mike designs what ever the contracts call for. This is a great income for me because I have no clue what is happening so it keeps me totally out of the loop. Every now and then I think they think I need to be in on a conference call..... but really, I don't. I don't care, just give me my money and I'm good. So this has worked out well for me so far.

 

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[LeoistheSun]

• Coin Laundry
• Self-Serve Carwash
• Self-Storage
• Traffic barricades (above post)

All do not require anyone to be present.

 

[Thoelt53]

• Parking lot cleaning
• Parking lot stripe painting
• Concrete barrier rental
• Chain link fence rental
• Premier even rental (tents, tables, chairs, etc)
• Mobile restrooms. Not port-a-potties. Think real restroom on a trailer. Could be included in above event rental
• Mobile truck wash (tractor trailers, construction equipment, etc)
• High rise window cleaning
• Tree removal/pruning
• Freight forwarding

None of these ideas are original whatsoever. But most can be started today.

Many existing companies in these fields are dinosaurs and have absolutely crap service, but no one is competing with them. Lots of room for disruption.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

Many existing companies in these fields are dinosaurs and have absolutely crap service, but no one is competing with them. Lots of room for disruption.

Can I get an AMEN to that! AMEN!

 

[Silver Silk]

This Thread has to be made notable at least, so much value here!

 

[GoGetter24]

He has been a mediocre to terrible traditional high school student depending on the day, but has excelled at being a mechanic.

I love stories like this. He's lucky to have an understanding dad. Had he been born under a more stoneheaded man, he might have been forced to perform better at school, set aside his 'hobby', had his ego crushed and his life destroyed, while his father spent the rest of his life blaming it all on him 'not getting stuck in at school'.

If only more parents and teachers would observe children, rather than just try to hammer them into the arbitrary shape they've decided on at whim. Or been told is the best shape, handed down to them, like a hazing ritual. Less lives would be destroyed or pissed to the wind.

Sorry y'all catch you in my mansion after I acquire all the government contract

Do it

 

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[AnAverageJoe]

Pet Boarding/ Doggie Daycare?

 

[Xavier X]

Been there, done that. It's better to take the day off.

You're absolutely right, on your first point. I used to get bids to supply things to the government. Total waste of time. Lost every one of them to either a black guy that got "ten points preference", so he could bid below my cost, but still make money because of the "preference points" boosted the price bid to something higher than was actually bid due to the "preference points" being added. If you're black, female, AND a vet, this can be YOUR ticket! Or, lost it to a bid that was so tightly written that only ONE product could fit the requirements - the one they wanted, of course.

So much of this was illegal, but go ahead and file a complaint. Then you get to deal with a government slacker that is paid to waste MORE of your time.

Rigged all the way, no matter how you cut it. And then, they're slow pay.

Who needs losers like this for customers? Yeah - if you're selling $100 million jets, or $125 hammers, okay...

As for selling commodity items, if you can sell lower than Amazon, you might have a shot at it. But only if a black female vet doesn't bid against you, that is.

The ONLY time I've ever heard someone making money selling to the government was a guy that sold them paint. He bought cheap paint and diluted it 50%.

Ha - gotta admire his thinking. The reason I know about this is he got caught and was sued - lost - and even went to prison for it. Well, it looked good on paper anyway...

I don't know where you live, but if your actual location is Colorado, then that makes your post even less believable.

Colorado demographics:

• 81.3% White American (70.0% Non-Hispanic White, 11.3% Hispanic white)
• 20.7% Hispanic and Latino American (of any race) heritage
• 7.2% Some Other Race
• 4.0% Black or African American
• 3.4% Multiracial American
• 2.8% Asian American
• 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
• 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

The entire black population there is 4%. Well below the national average.
Except every black person in Colorado is a Government Contractor, I don't see how blacks can be statistically responsible for your problems in this field. Even if blacks are offered a perk, the numerical significance still won't be enough of a roadblock for others.

It's easier to deflect blame and failures onto external elements than to introspectively analyze them.

The "I scored an A on the test" vs "The Professor gave me an F" syndrome.

 

[samuraijack]

I have a theory:

The coming generation has a complete lack of practical life skills + a growing impatience due to instant gratification (especially those growing up in big cities). I know this because this is me.

Anything that fits into these 2 areas, or even both, is worth taking a look at.

Provide these with fast completion & great customer service (even better with late/odd hours):

Any and all apartment repairs/remodeling/painting/cleaning
Small auto work/cleaning/etc
Equipment rentals (camping,snowboarding,etc...)
and a whole bunch more.

 

[Get Right]

I build houses.

 

[Kak]

I don't know where you live, but if your actual location is Colorado, then that makes your post even less believable.

Colorado demographics:

• 81.3% White American (70.0% Non-Hispanic White, 11.3% Hispanic white)
• 20.7% Hispanic and Latino American (of any race) heritage
• 7.2% Some Other Race
• 4.0% Black or African American
• 3.4% Multiracial American
• 2.8% Asian American
• 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
• 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

The entire black population there is 4%. Well below the national average.
Except every black person in Colorado is a Government Contractor, I don't see how blacks can be statistically responsible for your problems in this field. Even if blacks are offered a perk, the numerical significance still won't be enough of a roadblock for others.

It's easier to deflect blame and failures onto external elements than to introspectively analyze them.

The "I scored an A on the test" vs "The Professor gave me an F" syndrome.

Agreed. But any racial preference is still racist bullshit.

This contract talk misses the point entirely. If you are bidding on RFPs you have already lost. Find an unmet need, donate some of your time to sit down and benevolently talk through the issues at hand and penetrate the bureaucracy. Talk about nepotism. You’re the recipient at that point.

2 of my business I sell products to government with a .org email address and I make the entire business sound like a worthy cause. We are just the guys trying to help.

 

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[Shepherd]

I love stories like this. He's lucky to have an understanding dad. Had he been born under a more stoneheaded man, he might have been forced to perform better at school, set aside his 'hobby', had his ego crushed and his life destroyed, while his father spent the rest of his life blaming it all on him 'not getting stuck in at school'.

If only more parents and teachers would observe children, rather than just try to hammer them into the arbitrary shape they've decided on at whim. Or been told is the best shape, handed down to them, like a hazing ritual. Less lives would be destroyed or pissed to the wind.

Do it

Thank you for your kind words. I'm certainly not a perfect father and my son and I still butt heads on occasion. However, I do recognize how inspiring it feels to be COMPETENT and to recognize and develop those areas. His competencies and mine are in different areas and I had to learn that.

 

[Kak]

Forgot one. Disabled.

Find a black woman, vet, in a wheelchair, and you got it MADE!

But then you have to carry their a$$ until they feel like getting around to paying you...

Not true. Give them 51% of a random shell Corp just for that opportunity. You can keep contractual control which means you control distributions and the proportionality therein. Sling them a couple grand per month to have their name on the paper work. There are ways around everything.

 

[Xavier X]

Agreed. But any racial preference is still racist bullshit.

This contract talk misses the point entirely. If you are bidding on RFPs you have already lost. Find an unmet need, donate some of your time to sit down and benevolently talk through the issues at hand and penetrate the bureaucracy. Talk about nepotism. You’re the recipient at that point.

2 of my business I sell products to government with a .org email address and I make the entire business sound like a worthy cause.

Any racial preference might be rightfully bullshit.
However, the point conveyed is that the chances of it being the reason HE didn't penetrate is highly unlikely.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

I don't know where you live, but if your actual location is Colorado, then that makes your post even less believable.

Colorado demographics:

• 81.3% White American (70.0% Non-Hispanic White, 11.3% Hispanic white)
• 20.7% Hispanic and Latino American (of any race) heritage
• 7.2% Some Other Race
• 4.0% Black or African American
• 3.4% Multiracial American
• 2.8% Asian American
• 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
• 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

The entire black population there is 4%. Well below the national average.
Except every black person in Colorado is a Government Contractor, I don't see how blacks can be statistically responsible for your problems in this field. Even if blacks are offered a perk, the numerical significance still won't be enough of a roadblock for others.

It's easier to deflect blame and failures onto external elements than to introspectively analyze them.

The "I scored an A on the test" vs "The Professor gave me an F" syndrome.

Hmmmm. Another expert telling me what I did.

For what it's worth, this wasn't Colorado - it was Minnesota. But, I'm going to guess that the black population is even less there.

Does it matter? Mr. Statistician? Just because you pull some data out of somewhere, does that dictate results? No, it doesn't. Too many college courses can fill your tiny brain with data and prevent you from thinking clearly.

Or, not at all.

There is no syndrome here - another too many college courses dogma affecting your thinking, I'm afraid.

After EVERY bid, I obtained the results, and analyzed why I did not get the bid, OR what the profit spread was, in case I could have bid more.

Life lesson there for you. You're welcome.