i will have to work for someone first, i have zero knowledge about carpet cleaning.Go ahead..... give it a shot.
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Free registration at the forum removes this block.i will have to work for someone first, i have zero knowledge about carpet cleaning.Go ahead..... give it a shot.
The elderly is a mixed bag. Here in KC you can go independent living for $750 a month all the way to $4k a month. My mortgage is the first number!I've been contemplating ideas for the elderly care space for a while now. And every idea I come up with ends with the same conclusion, Where the hell does the money come from?
For example: Dementia and Alzheimer caregivers give over 470 billion dollars a year in unpaid aid to loved ones who remain at home due to the outrageous costs of nursing homes and care centers.
- At $470 billion in 2013, the value of unpaid caregiving exceeded the value of paid home care and total Medicaid spending in the same year, and nearly matched the value of the sales of the world’s largest company, Wal-Mart ($477 billion). [AARP Public Policy Institute. (2015). Valuing the Invaluable: 2015 Update.]
If you really would like to change the world this is one way to do it. I was thinking of a way that medicaid/care could be subsidized and used to pay your friends and family for taking care of you, Or a home-care app that allows you to find trained "freelance" caregivers(but that comes with many problems of course, Especially vetting).
If anyone would has any ideas HMU, Or take this idea, but you better use it and change the world because a lot of people need help and with humans living longer alzheimers care is really going to begin taking an unprecedented toll on productivity and QOL in about 30 years.
I'm trying to work up a parable that was probably already written. Something like "It's better to have passion for the work you are doing than looking for work that's your passion."
No worries, it's come to me someday.
Hemorrhoid CremeAlong the same lines, what are some "unsexy" products that companies/people have to buy but don't want to?
Hemorrhoid Creme
Anti-Fungal Jock. Feet, Vaginal, Intestinal and any where else it appears
Hair Removal products
Legal Services
Adult Diapers
Diabetes equipment
Bug control products indoor outdoor
Mole/Vole/Gopher control
Drain cleaner
Propane refills
Liability insurance
It does seem apropos, hahahaI like that you threw that one in there lol
Saw this post while revisiting this thread. A very interesting comment. Without having done any other research, I'd be inclined to agree. Not only do some not know how to start, but I've seen where some don't know how to keep an established company running or go to the next level. A friend of mine owns his own company making an interesting product. He's done well over the years and intended to pass it down to his son. All his son wants to do is "manage" the social media and advertising - not learn how to run the biz. Admittedly, this is one isolated example and I hope not representative.So I guess in summary, my hypothesis is that those boring businesses aren't unpopular because "they're boring" or "unsexy." But maybe because the skills gap or the barriers to ENTRY (CENTS) is much higher... It also doesn't help when all of the major influences of our generation consists of tech entrepreneurs (Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Gates, etc...).
Brilliant Lex - if nothing else, it should be interesting to investigate. While most government bids are lowest price and usually have advantage to "socio-economically disadvantaged small businesses", you're not suggesting bidding on the jobs but using this as a tool to find businesses to start. It's a NEED identification tool for unsexy biz.Each city has their own contracts that are open for bid. So you just need to pick a city and then figure out where they list their bid projects (it's easy to figure it out on Google). This will lead you to ideas for unsexy service businesses and also possibly B2G or B2B product ideas.
You have this correct. Being a former nurse aide, I know how much money they dish out for private care, medications, and those who don't have wealth are the one's who will suffer the most.I've been contemplating ideas for the elderly care space for a while now. And every idea I come up with ends with the same conclusion, Where the hell does the money come from?
For example: Dementia and Alzheimer caregivers give over 470 billion dollars a year in unpaid aid to loved ones who remain at home due to the outrageous costs of nursing homes and care centers.
- At $470 billion in 2013, the value of unpaid caregiving exceeded the value of paid home care and total Medicaid spending in the same year, and nearly matched the value of the sales of the world’s largest company, Wal-Mart ($477 billion). [AARP Public Policy Institute. (2015). Valuing the Invaluable: 2015 Update.]
If you really would like to change the world this is one way to do it. I was thinking of a way that medicaid/care could be subsidized and used to pay your friends and family for taking care of you, Or a home-care app that allows you to find trained "freelance" caregivers(but that comes with many problems of course, Especially vetting).
If anyone would has any ideas HMU, Or take this idea, but you better use it and change the world because a lot of people need help and with humans living longer alzheimers care is really going to begin taking an unprecedented toll on productivity and QOL in about 30 years.
Two quick questions. (Forgive me if they've been addressed already.)
Any unsexy business ideas that have little starting overhead expenses and little legal hurdles?
Also, are there any unsexy business ideas that are digital or are we looking at anything on the internet as being sexy?
We wouldn't have to forgive you if you just took the time to read the thread like everyone else. Answers for both of your questions are in the previous 10 pages.
This morning I reverse engineered the search process. Came across several good ideas. Maybe some of you can use the process to come up with less conventional ideas to run with.
1. Go to Google
2. Search for "bid on government jobs in [town name]" "bid on government jobs in Los Angeles"
3. Look through the contracts posted
Doing this I came across things I've never seen before. For instance:
- Sludge Haruling Services
- Pool Chemicals
- Manhole Casting Replacement
- Street Resurfacing
- Park Bridge Replacement
- Air Filtration / Exhaust Removal System
- 4th of July Fireworks Display
- City Tree Pruning
- Park Lot and Trail Sealing
Each city has their own contracts that are open for bid. So you just need to pick a city and then figure out where they list their bid projects (it's easy to figure it out on Google). This will lead you to ideas for unsexy service businesses and also possibly B2G or B2B product ideas.
i will have to work for someone first, i have zero knowledge about carpet cleaning.
Pet Boarding/ Doggie Daycare?
Is anyone doing an AirBNB for campers, caravans, and motorhomes? There are thousands of these things sitting on lots waiting for their annual 3 week trip - if that. Dives me nuts that much capital is sitting on a lot for $50 a month.Just recently stumbled upon an boring business.
Since we're living in very dense populated area and parking space is almost always an issue - especially for caravans and motorhomes - some guy around is renting old factory space for quite low prices per m² and is renting them out as permanent parking spaces to caravan and motorhome owners (which we have quite a lot around here).
He provides basic stuff like electricity, security cameras, old water disposal, sometimes a place to wash the vehicles (in case they're standing outside).
Basic costs per m² might be 4-5 € and with the monthly rental he's taking in around 7-8 € per m² and location, if booked full (which is the case mostly).
There's not much staff needed to run these places either.
Thought i'd share.
I am in Singapore. The huge opportunity for young business people here, which I believes applies for U.S. as well is to take over the business of baby boomers who have no successors. It is HUGE! Almost all of them are in the unsexy business fields.
Why on earth would you want to start a business form scratch and in the best case make you 8-10k a month two years later, when you can learn the rope from a mentor who is not short of money and wants the business to have a successor largely for legacy and emotional reason, and you can take over a business that is currently making 20k a month.
Traditional business
-wholesale and distributing of b2b industrial products. (Lots of small shops in industrial parks)
-Funeral business (lots of money with aging population). My corp banking friend says these business had the largest pile of cash in their acc.
-Construction/Raw material
-self employed sales people in Real estate, insurance and stocks brokers who want to pads their client base to a young person
...many many more I believe.
The common thing is their children have ZERO interest in the business.
They are looking for successors for non monetary reasons mainly. They want to be responsible to their clients. They want to see their handwork and legacy not going to waste. They want to groom a hungry young man/woman. Their business, is too small to generate interest to the Private equity community.
You are their only chance.
Is anyone doing an AirBNB for campers, caravans, and motorhomes? There are thousands of these things sitting on lots waiting for their annual 3 week trip - if that. Dives me nuts that much capital is sitting on a lot for $50 a month.
Is anyone doing an AirBNB for campers, caravans, and motorhomes? There are thousands of these things sitting on lots waiting for their annual 3 week trip - if that. Dives me nuts that much capital is sitting on a lot for $50 a month.
I ve thought about it here in Germany.Is anyone doing an AirBNB for campers, caravans, and motorhomes? There are thousands of these things sitting on lots waiting for their annual 3 week trip - if that. Dives me nuts that much capital is sitting on a lot for $50 a month.
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...
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