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The "Half Baked" Ideas Thread

PizzaOnTheRoof

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Switching banks is a major PITA.

How about a service that gathers all of your subscriptions, payments, bills, direct deposits, and auto switches them to the new bank?
 
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amp0193

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Start a Tex-Mex restaurant chain in Sweden.

Taco Fridays are part of the Swedish culture. Sections in the grocery store are dedicated to tacos.

And there are no F*cking restaurants to buy tex-mex from. There's a couple of ok taco places, but those don't really count.


Someone needs to get in there, copy/paste any half-decent american tex-mex restaurant, and watch the dough roll in.


If you Swedes like tacos... just wait until you have a chimichanga!
 
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Xeon

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Just came across this on Reddit : Fraternity / Sorority Rush Coach.

Some kids want to get into frats/soros so badly that they actually hire rush coaches to teach them and guide them, and yes, services like these exist. If you're American and have been in frats/soros before, maybe you can offer a cheap package where you answer any questions your client have, package the whole thing into a nifty 2-week learning package made of several tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
Webinars, landing pages, upselling of new and higher-tier packages.....
 

Kid

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Just came across this on Reddit : Fraternity / Sorority Rush Coach.

Some kids want to get into frats/soros so badly that they actually hire rush coaches to teach them and guide them, and yes, services like these exist. If you're American and have been in frats/soros before, maybe you can offer a cheap package where you answer any questions your client have, package the whole thing into a nifty 2-week learning package made of several tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
Webinars, landing pages, upselling of new and higher-tier packages.....

And put it on Udemy!
 
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ItsAJackal

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Just came across this on Reddit : Fraternity / Sorority Rush Coach.

Some kids want to get into frats/soros so badly that they actually hire rush coaches to teach them and guide them, and yes, services like these exist. If you're American and have been in frats/soros before, maybe you can offer a cheap package where you answer any questions your client have, package the whole thing into a nifty 2-week learning package made of several tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
Webinars, landing pages, upselling of new and higher-tier packages.....

Wow, what a world we live in now.
 

rjrobbins2

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Alright... Huge rant incoming. Get rid of the plastic where it makes sense, but give me back my freaking straws.[/QUOTE]


Unless you have a disability, I dont see why people need straws so badly at restaurants. I get why when you go the convenience store. I just dont ever use straws at restaurants or at coffee shops. They seem unnecessary.

Think about how many people there are and how many straws we use worldwide. They are just adding up as they are used once and then tossed. That makes billions of these pieces of plastic that take 900 years to disintegrate.

I bought some metal straws and carry them in my bag and my car for when I go to the gas station. At restaurants, I just dont see the need. I can drink out of a cup without them. An exception should be made for those with disabilities, of course.

There are definitely a lot of options out there for this. There are tons of lists on Amazon and eBay for alternatives.
 

rjrobbins2

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Switching banks is a major PITA.

How about a service that gathers all of your subscriptions, payments, bills, direct deposits, and auto switches them to the new bank?

I've seen ads for banks that have this built in when you switch to them. Not sure how it works but I think banks are offering this.
 
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AgainstAllOdds

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Bullshit.

There's a plethora of drinks that require straws.

A few examples:
  • Milkshakes.
  • Milk tea with "bubbles" or any addition
  • Smoothies
  • Cocktails
  • Anything heavy with ice
  • Any drink with separated layers
10xp-starbucks-superJumbo.jpg

Good luck drinking something like this without a straw.
 
D

Deleted50669

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STFUHeadphones: noise cancelling headphones. Nothing new here feature-wise, but the goal would be to target the market segment that searches for noise cancelling headphones when they're angry and willing to spend money to not be angry. Marketing angle would be "STFUHeadphones. When you want the world to STFU".
 
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AndreiRx

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I would very much like to see an Internet identity manager, where you put all your personal info, with various "onion layers" and various aspects - like professional, personal, and so on.
But it would be all private to you only.
And then, make it a universal login provider. Use it to connect to this sports forum? Check option to show only sports stuff. Use it for dating? Show only your best photos. And make sure it can't be put together easily like a puzzle. (I mean data from various sites can't be used to get back at your true identity)

First 5 logins are free tier. All others are paying extras via subscription.
 

Kid

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STFUHeadphones: noise cancelling headphones. Nothing new here feature-wise, but the goal would be to target the market segment that searches for noise cancelling headphones when they're angry and willing to spend money to not be angry. Marketing angle would be "STFUHeadphones. When you want the world to STFU".

"stfuworld.com" and "worldstfu.com" are available ;)
 
D

Deleted50669

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I'm not even sure if this qualifies as half baked, but how about biodegradable packing material for green companies. Think of Amazon sending those packages with bubblewrap, which can't be recycled. If you wanted to pitch to Amazon "Hey, if you guys want to improve your public relations, go green with packaging. We have a solution.".
 

Hai

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3D surface photography and hologram or VR.
Usually when photographing paintings, the image becomes flat and you don´t get a feel of how it looks like in real life. You need to go see it in real life to really see all brushstrokes and how they bulge and how the painter painted it.
What if we can have VR for real life experiences of the paintings. The hard part is capturing the painting in all it´s intricacies. It needs to be a high resolution model.
 

Bhanu

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Few successful ideas which are implemented in my country and can be replicated anywhere:
1. App similar to Food panda . In Food panda a person delivers your food (from the restaurant) to your home.Now change the scenario ,suppose you went to your friends house to study and forgot your books there. Now you will need to go to friend's house or your friend has to come to your house to give those books .What if there is an app which does this for you . You tell the person/food panda delivery boy what you want,what your friend's address, what is your address and he will pick up the books and bring it to you(at a nominal price).This can used to deliver anything from one corner of city to other. Basically an intra-city delivery system using an app similar to Food Panda. (Read this :Logistics firm founded by 13-year-old Mumbaiker Tilak Mehta targets Rs 100 cr revenue by 2020 - Firstpost)

2. Advertising using paper cups. Imagine putting your advertisement on a cup of Starbucks ? Or coffee cups for a local shop ? You can advertise almost anything through paper cups . Interestingly people pay more attention to an advertisement on a paper cup(from which they are drinking coffee) then on a news paper.(Reason: paper cup will stay in his hand till he is drinking coffee 5-10 mins apprx ). My friend is doing this and is already a millionaire :) .Check it here :Google Image Result for http://www.tcupads.com/images/portfolio-img1.jpg
 
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Xeon

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Another rough idea from the top of my head, not sure if it's been done : a company that provides fitness and weight-loss training to help overweight / obese women achieve the AVERAGE FIT WOMAN'S body, instead of the ultra-lean type which many fitness training gym / brands promote.

Nowadays, folks everywhere are spamming this buzzword called AUTHENTICITY.
Give it to 'em!

From a sustainability and do-ability standpoint, this type

Essentially, targeting a different group of women : the overweight woman who wants to slim down, but is not seeking the Instagram fitness model body.
She is perfectly ok with a little bit of fat here and there, some soft curves and a bit of imperfection. The marketing would emphasize on the idea of how such types of body shape is more womanly than the ultra-skinny-girl-with-hard-abs type you see on Instagram, and how NOT ALL MEN find those fitness model types attractive.
Do a survey with 500 guys, note those results, put it on the website for further conviction, and personally, I'm sure the average fit woman's body will beat out any fitness model.

The marketing will also imply stuff like how imperfection is beautiful, how important it is to have a body which allows you to eat the occasional burger or dunkin donuts, without having to stress out your life by obsessing over calorie counts each meal.......or worse still, eating smoothie bowls, salad crap or plain water EVERY. SINGLE. MEAL. On a more extreme side if one wants to incite attention from the media for potential press release (media loves stuff that goes against the norm), one can even talk about how those ultra-lean type of bodies are overkill unless you're competing in IFBB, about how only a tiny minority of men find muscular girls attractive. Basically, this will be a very strong stand you're taking.

Make fun of existing brands on the market to rally people who believe in this concept.
One of the marketing poster could show a bland salad bowl with the text on top : "Is this how you want to live?" or similar.
 
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Kid

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I wonder what overweight people would be motivated by
(if being normal weight would be enough motivation to them)
but:
One of the marketing poster could show a bland salad bowl with the text on top : "Is this how you want to live?"
lol . This one's great!
Or "Rabbit could live of that. Not human".
 
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Ernman

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An opportunity in providing alternatives as the demand (and appetite) for plastic wanes...

Whale found dead with almost 50 pounds of plastic in its stomach

I know given a choice, I'll choose something more environmentally friendly. No matter what you believe on global warming, plastic pollution is a big problem.
MJ - this one is near and dear to me. I've loved the oceans and its creatures for most of my life. I've been what I call a practical environmentalist for many years. I say practical because I realized that the only way a company will survive in an environmental related activity is to work and act like a real company. It can't expect to survive on heart string pulls for the good work they are trying to do. It must be able to make money just like any business. I learned this lesson the hard way with one of my failures. So other than a government funded or total non-profit donor funded organization, how and what does one do?

I've done ok with low level metal recycling - but compared to plastics that is easy. True plastic recycling requires a substantial capital investment. In the past, China had cornered this market through government subsidy and low wages. But about a year ago China stopped allowing all but the cleanest plastics from returning to them. That made collection and transfer unsustainable for city and county governments.

There's also the reality that most existing plastic recycling processes, simply turn the plastic into another plastic product.

Realizing this is a "passion" for me, I'm being careful with how I treat it as a profession. Your guidance wrt following one's passion in Fastlane and UNSCRIPTED is spot on. I am doing a lot of research in the hopes that I can find a way to both reduce the plastics in the waste stream, reduce new plastics from entering and still start/grow a viable biz.

Sorry this got a tad long. "End Rant"
 
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Ernman

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Having cleaned up two estates for deceased relatives, just the time saving in man hours alone would be a huge value on top of emotional relief of not having to go through years of accumulation. We once had a 900 square foot house with a basement, and after the grandparents passed it took a dumpster rental and 40+ man hours to clean it out.
I've had a couple friends in the same situation. And my sibs and I are preparing for that with our parents. Mom passed away a year ago and while dad is still going strong, we know time is not on his side. We're trying to get a head start and dad is cooperating.

One potential challenge is going to be making it profitable. Some people will not want to pay much for such a service (likely not your target market anyway), so you'll need to be able resell what you can.
 

Ernman

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Reusable metal straws that are really easy to clean. Maybe make a machine for restaurants that sterilize them and wash them easily. Basically a "straw washer". And before anyone tells me that I can carry my own metal straw everywhere I go - you can screw off. I'm not adding a straw to my list of bullshit I have to remember to bring when I leave the house.
Interesting idea - I'll put some grey cells on it. I agree that carrying around one's own straw is a pain and most guys wouldn't have a place to carry one. I suspect most women don't like putting a wet, drippy thing back in their purse.
 

Gsr2011

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I was actually thinking about something last night and I wonder if there could be a way to make profit out of it.

4. Buy/rent a truck. Offer businesses to carry their packages from their place to the closest post office. People need to print the correct shipping label from the post office's online services beforehand - this way you aren't charged for their packages.

Then, establish a daily route that your crew does twice a day: early in the morning and at the end of the day.

5. Literally half baked idea : Cheesecake Popsicles. Even better - Vegan cheesecake popsicles. I'm actually going to try a couple recipes just for fun. My goal would be to make something vegan that actually tastes good (just kidding, vegan friends). Also - Some kind of vegan chocolate ice cream popsicles.

Then sell as a subscription box or per unit online. With dry ice packaging because I got the inspiration from another thread..... :)

A store just outside of Vancouver does the cheesecake idea already before you get on the ferry.. Frozen cheesecake on a stick dipped in chocolate if you want.
 
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Jeff Noel

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A store just outside of Vancouver does the cheesecake idea already before you get on the ferry.. Frozen cheesecake on a stick dipped in chocolate if you want.
The ocean is huge :) If their business is doing well, it's just a confirmation that this idea could be great elsewhere too !
 
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MJ DeMarco

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Some ideas in here aren't really "half-baked" but pretty good!

Fiver but for engineering requests. Linking engineers up with companies that cant afford a full time engineer

Except it would need to be called "five hundred-err" LOL. Engineers aren't cheap.

Nonetheless, like the idea.

This whole new straw ban thing is really getting me heated. Lol.

Plastic is a huge problem and it is bankrolled by huge industries, oil namely.

But yes, the straw thing is ridiculous, there are much bigger plastic related issues to tackle. And then throw in that some of the solutions are worse than the so-called problem. Nonetheless, solutions to problems (real or not) will attract $$.
 

ItsAJackal

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I've had a couple friends in the same situation. And my sibs and I are preparing for that with our parents. Mom passed away a year ago and while dad is still going strong, we know time is not on his side. We're trying to get a head start and dad is cooperating.

One potential challenge is going to be making it profitable. Some people will not want to pay much for such a service (likely not your target market anyway), so you'll need to be able resell what you can.

My question is how do you know if something has sentimental value to the owner?

Also, just found a company offering this service and this was on their homepage:

Death Cleaning Services
Did something just happen in your home or the home of someone you know? Swift Cleaners is a death cleaning services provider that:

  • Works with homeowner’s insurance to pay for our work
  • Does not charge you or the homeowner any deductible
  • Is open 24/7 and provides instant response
  • Uses hospital-grade disinfectants and provides Certificate of Treatment
  • Uses unmarked vehicles to discreetly respond to your incident
  • Sensitively dialogues with family members or persons involved
  • Has experience cleaning up crime scenes since 2003

Insurance Coverage
Death and injury on the property resulting in the need for death cleaning services is covered under most homeowner's insurance policies. It is typically customary for crime scene cleanup companies to waive the deductible for the home owner, so in many cases, the cleanup is essentially "free" to the family involved. Below is a chart that can be used to determine coverage for cleaning up crime scenes:

HO-1: Named-perils Policy (uncommon, no coverage)
HO-2: Extended Named-perils Policy (no coverage)
HO-3: All-perils Policy (most common, structure covered)
HO-4: Renter's Insurance (coverage for belongings, not structure)
HO-5: Extended All-perils Policy (structure covered)
HO-6: Condo Insurance (belongings, walls/ceilings covered)
HO-7: Mobile Home Insurance (coverage exists, depreciation is a factor)
HO-8: Old Home Insurance (coverage varies)
 
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Ernman

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Death Cleaning Services
Did something just happen in your home or the home of someone you know? Swift Cleaners is a death cleaning services provider that:
I view this as some thing very different than helping to sell off or dispose of the belongings. I apologize for how this sounds and I'm not being glib, but death can be messy. The services of proper cleaning services may be required.
 

itfactor

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Here’s one:

App for Shopping Trolleys

An app that lets you unlock and return a shopping trolley without the need for a coins. The app unlocks and takes a small deposit fee for every trolley the user collects

It can also keep track of all the carts for the supermarket. If the user doesn’t return the trolley back, they wont get their deposit back.

This can also be implemented in food courts (trays, plates, baskets) so people wont be lazy in returning them.
 
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Xeon

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Atu

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Develop a chopper lift that's immune to shown effect:
Than market it and cash $$$$
 

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