The Weirdest Business Model (worth copying)

[Guest-5ty5s4]

Wow. Maybe I’m just really weird, but this actually sounds fun and/or enjoyable to me. It could also be very meaningful. I don’t know why, but talking to someone old (I’m very young) has always filled me with wonder, especially someone at the end of their life. It’s like everything they say is much more profound, even the funny or sarcastic things they say. Giving the speech would also feel pretty profound. Great idea and story, @Walter Hay

is it Fastlane? Not as a one man show, but others already pointed out how it easily could become Fastlane. Also $10k sounds great but if you want to serve as many people as possible, in this case a lower price could work.

 

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[BizyDad]

Tagging @PapaGang since this thread reminds me of a conversation we had.

Please don't laugh....... this is deadly serious

Come on, how can I not laugh at that pun?

 

[Lyinx]

Upsell on the video recording...
You come in, make everything look all cozy (couch, rugs, lazy chair, whatever), and get a stylist out to do their hair and makeup, so they look the prime of their old age..
Suit and tie, obviously,if they wanted to..

 

[mr4ffe]

Ok guys and gals. Here's Version 3.

Scrap going to funeral with TV/projector.

Make an app.
Call it "Last Words".
Record person, and make it avail in that app.
Assure or not that only family can go to vids.
(If someone wants public last words he/she can)

It might even be per person - like diff things said to family and diff things said to coworkers.

And if that person knows how to use smarphone you wouldn't even have to go to their hospital.

This could 1) be very privacy-invasive (what happens when the servers get hacked?) and 2) remove the holiness of the funeral itself. In our current consumerist society, abundance has negative connotations and scarcity has positive connotations. Scarce products tend to be perceived as high quality. By making someone's last words available in abundance, those may carry less weight. Just a thought. I don't know how else to put it.

 

[Kasimir]

In my mind, these ideas are three totally different things:

1. An app that would only replace a traditional letter for the inner circle.
2. A person who talks to people in the hospital and says some mostly nice words at the funeral on behalf of the dying person.
3. An app that would tell people to f*** of without seeing them. my personal favorite

And I think every one of them could work

 

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[Lyinx]

In my mind, these ideas are three totally different things:

1. An app that would only replace a traditional letter for the inner circle.
2. A person who talks to people in the hospital and says some mostly nice words at the funeral on behalf of the dying person.
3. An app that would tell people to f*** of without seeing them. my personal favorite

And I think every one of them could work

#4: A person who goes and tells people to f*** off without seeing them... not sure how effective an app would be at that

 

[Ing]

A good idea!
I would get some experience with lower prices.
when I can well, I would charge 100000 min. There are allways people in every income region to buybsomething. So in the welth region, too.
And rich people dare to use that service more, as often they have a bigger self confidence.
Having one client per month would be enough to be at 1 m ren.
Scale: self runner.

I dont do that because my social surrounding would turn off me.

Walter thanks for sharing

 

[Lyinx]

A good idea!
I would get some experience with lower prices.
when I can well, I would charge 100000 min. There are allways people in every income region to buybsomething. So in the welth region, too.
And rich people dare to use that service more, as often they have a bigger self confidence.
Having one client per month would be enough to be at 1 m ren.
Scale: self runner.

I dont do that because my social surrounding would turn off me.

Walter thanks for sharing

Rich folks would probably do this and donate money to a local charity (instead of giving to their children, if they don't want to)
Poor folks might like to "stick it to em" to their children who are sitting around like vultures and waiting for the inheritance money....

 

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[Kasimir]

All joking aside, I don't know if its fastlane...usually fast lane is something recurring, and yes, death is recurring...but you'll have to find new clients each time.

So yeah the thing with the funerals isn't fastlane...however that doesn't mean it has to be a bad business. Here in Switzerland people charge upwards of 10k+ for this service. Fastlane or not that's really profitable.

However, that's the main problem, that your costumers are dead. I'm well aware of that. I won't build a business around that idea, I only find it interesting that's all.

 

[Lyinx]

So yeah the thing with the funerals isn't fastlane...however that doesn't mean it has to be a bad business. Here in Switzerland people charge upwards of 10k+ for this service. Fastlane or not that's really profitable.

However, that's the main problem, that your costumers are dead. I'm well aware of that. I won't build a business around that idea, I only find it interesting that's all.

well - you could advertise to other folks while you are at the last funeral - could end up with a line, " Hire me at YOUR funeral! my phone number is written here on the back side of the coffin! "

I met our local funeral director twice in the last year (buried two elderly grandparents, one on my side of the family and one on the wife's side) and at the 2nd funeral I noticed what he did.. after the body was buried, he turned around and shook all of the close families hands, said his condolences and moved on....

When he was part ways through I realized that he was sizing up the future market, and making sure they all knew him, nearly had to laugh out loud when I realized it!

 

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[Lyinx]

Oh wow, but let's be honest he is doing an amazing job at getting to know future costumers. Maybe morally not perfect, but who cares.
Fascinating story. Thanks for sharing!
And sorry for your loss.

TBH, 99% of people probably had no idea that he was doing it, I only noticed because I saw him twice in a few months and I'm a business owner that watches for things like that. Most other people would never have noticed.

Side note: someone said that this funeral director is losing out in the local community as he had 100% of their business in the past, so he takes them for granted. there is now a competitor in the area who respects the people a bit more (and less joking, more somber) who is gaining popularity due to his respectful attitude.

Just saw a few items in one of the articles:

"The unusual nature of Mr Edgar's job has caught the eye of the entertainment industry and he has signed a deal for it to be made into a movie or drama series."

"When priests and funeral directors have tried to prevent Mr Edgar from delivering his secrets, he has not let that stop him delivering on his contract with the deceased."

"That means that I've arranged previously to have the body of my client taken away and cremated or buried at a private ceremony."

I think it's a great idea, but it has to be incredibly stressful and possibly dangerous if you are dropping some bombshell on a group of people. It also said part of his deal is to go on private property and destroy things that were not meant to be found by the family.

I'm pulling all these quotes from this article.

Personally, I think I'd draw the line at delivering a message/humor/etc... and would back out (on moral grounds) if it involves breaking/entering or anything that could get me shot. Consider me selfish, but I'd prefer to live afterwards and not have to worry about my own funeral for a while.

 

[Kasimir]

Wow. Why aren't you doing this?

That's a great question. Would really love to set up a business, in this are. But I don't see myself talking at a funeral. I'm still very young and I would need to team up with somebody. And I personally don't know anybody who would be willing to start that with me. So maybe later in my life.

 

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[alexkuzmov]

I came upon this today and had to share it with my Fastlane friends. Please don't laugh....... this is deadly serious.

A man in Queensland Australia saw a need that maybe many people could relate to, but it seems that nobody has ever made a business out of it.

The need was for honest talking at funerals. Here's how he does it:

• He visits people who are on their deathbeds in hospital. I don't know how he gets to know who is dying, but maybe he has good contacts in hospitals.
• He interviews them, asking if there is anything they want said at the funeral other than the trite eulogies or wishes engineered by family members. In other words: What are your real last wishes?
• For legal self protection he records the interviews.
• He charges the dying person $10,000 to fulfill their wish to have those real wishes spoken.
• When the funeral is under way he steps up to the microphone being used by the minister or MC, and tells them he is there at the request of the deceased who has asked him to read out his/her real last wishes.
• Sometimes he tells all those standing behind the microphone to go and join the rest of the mourners.
• Then he reads out his list, much to the chagrin of the vested interests who have said or would say otherwise.

He has a thriving business. His customers all die, but there are always more potential customers waiting, and as his reputation grows, so does his list of customers.

Walter
P.S. Is this fastlane? He doesn't even finish up with an email list.

Wow
What a world we live in.
To me this sounds unreal, almost like a plot of a movie.
I cant help but wonder, what kind of a need does this fill. What problem does it solve.
The dead have no needs, right? So strange...

 

[Walter Hay]

I read that article today too and thought the exact same thing!

That article was more complete than what I first saw. Thanks for posting the man's full story, It is fascinating.

It is definitely a real, viable business, but a lot of people would be always looking over their shoulder if they started up such a business.

Walter

 

[MTF]

Damn. That's so morbid. I can see the value in it but I can't imagine running such a business and having a happy life. Same for the funeral industry. I guess at some point it stops affecting you and you're desensitized but damn...

 

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[Genius01]

I read that article today too and thought the exact same thing!

Here's the link:

'I'm a Coffin Confessor. I Tell People's Secrets From Beyond the Grave'

My client told me that he wanted me to crash his funeral and that he would pay me $7,300 to do exactly what he asked. I had to out the best friend for trying to sleep with the deceased's wife.

www.newsweek.com

I'm not super into the death industry, but I suspect someone somewhere (aside from the OG guy) is going to make a killing with this idea.

This is some really crazy stuff man!
The guy has to have a lot of guts to pull this off constantly.
Anyway, he's a private investigator....guess you have to have some good guts to be one.
I'm not sure this is something a regular person would want to get into, you'll probably have to be watching your back (and your front too, lol) at all times.

 

[Suzanne Bazemore]

Please don't laugh....... this is deadly serious.

@Walter Hay , this was actually an interesting concept - I'm glad you mentioned it, and I'm reluctant to say this, because I'm not trying to make light of your serious topic, but nice pun.

 

[Kasimir]

Make an app.
Call it "Last Words".
Record person, and make it avail in that app.
Assure or not that only family can go to vids.
(If someone wants public last word he/she can)

That's a freaking blueprint for a successful business idea right here!
Had a similar idea with a website, which the family could log in through a login portal, but your is way better.
But I think you have to separate all these business ideas into two things:
- One is targeting rich people, who pay 10k+ for some last words, which are in person.
- And the other with the app, you just take the focus on the regular people and ask for a small fee.

Both amazing ideas and really easy to generate a big income, even if that should be the focus.
Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[Lisa Autry]

I came upon this today and had to share it with my Fastlane friends. Please don't laugh....... this is deadly serious.

A man in Queensland Australia saw a need that maybe many people could relate to, but it seems that nobody has ever made a business out of it.

The need was for honest talking at funerals. Here's how he does it:

• He visits people who are on their deathbeds in hospital. I don't know how he gets to know who is dying, but maybe he has good contacts in hospitals.
• He interviews them, asking if there is anything they want said at the funeral other than the trite eulogies or wishes engineered by family members. In other words: What are your real last wishes?
• For legal self protection he records the interviews.
• He charges the dying person $10,000 to fulfill their wish to have those real wishes spoken.
• When the funeral is under way he steps up to the microphone being used by the minister or MC, and tells them he is there at the request of the deceased who has asked him to read out his/her real last wishes.
• Sometimes he tells all those standing behind the microphone to go and join the rest of the mourners.
• Then he reads out his list, much to the chagrin of the vested interests who have said or would say otherwise.

He has a thriving business. His customers all die, but there are always more potential customers waiting, and as his reputation grows, so does his list of customers.

Walter
P.S. Is this fastlane? He doesn't even finish up with an email list.

That's cool. I would modify it a little as I'm more of the persuasion to help people by forming a relationship with them before they die. Kind of a Sage I guess you could say. Some people help those bring life into the world. Some help people help those transition back from where we came.

 

[Lisa Autry]

Is it scalable?

Satan enters the chat.

I already thought about that. It could be, Marie Kondo did something that scaled similar to this. But it would be pretty difficult and you'd have to love doing it. I don't mean "love what you do" I mean love doing it because its insanely difficult to scale this idea up.

 

[eliquid]

Before COVID ( haven't tried afterward ) I would walk into Hospitals with no issue and browse the floors.

My Father-in-law had a quad bypass and we would just walk in and elevator up and go see him. No one questioned us or anything.

 

[Lisa Autry]

Before COVID ( haven't tried afterward ) I would walk into Hospitals with no issue and browse the floors.

My Father-in-law had a quad bypass and we would just walk in and elevator up and go see him. No one questioned us or anything.

You would be handcuffed if you did that now...at least in the USA.

 

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[Lyinx]

Why wait until you’re dead? I’d pay people to go tell off certain people I know right now just so I could see spy cam recordings of the looks on their faces.

Another business opportunity

I wonder if there is something in this but without the death?

How many people have family feuds/bad relationships all because of poor communication and would love to tell their dad/mum/brother/sister etc. truly how they felt about certain situations but could never actually face up to it.

Business name: Tell your family to f*** off, all without ever seeing them! Call me to discuss details.

Think that exists already and it's called a family therapist, but most people are even afraid to do this...

Lots of bad stigma surrounding therapists, best to call it something else? Anyone serious about therapy will search for therapists, but somebody that just wants them to f off won't even be looking for someone. You would probably want to do reaction videos of what happens when you talk with the other family member and post on social media.. along with the occasional running away and/or getting shot at...

 

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[Jon L]

That's a freaking blueprint for a successful business idea right here!
Had a similar idea with a website, which the family could log in through a login portal, but your is way better.
But I think you have to separate all these business ideas into two things:
- One is targeting rich people, who pay 10k+ for some last words, which are in person.
- And the other with the app, you just take the focus on the regular people and ask for a small fee.

Both amazing ideas and really easy to generate a big income, even if that should be the focus.
Thanks for sharing!!!

I think a lot of people would prefer not to record themselves talking. They'd rather interview with someone and have them speak for them.

 

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[Kid]

This could 1) be very privacy-invasive (what happens when the servers get hacked?) and 2) remove the holiness of the funeral itself. In our current consumerist society, abundance has negative connotations and scarcity has positive connotations. Scarce products tend to be perceived as high quality. By making someone's last words available in abundance, those may carry less weight. Just a thought. I don't know how else to put it.

I agree with two top guments.
But consider this about third one: what about people who cannot afford $10k for their last words to be heard?
Scarce is valued more , that's true, but should we keep it scarce?

 

[Kasimir]

#4: A person who goes and tells people to f*** off without seeing them... not sure how effective an app would be at that

Didn't mean that point so seriously. Probably not profitable but it would be quite funny.

 

[Zahida A. Khan]

He has a thriving business. His customers all die, but there are always more potential customers waiting, and as his reputation grows, so does his list of customers.

OMG!! What an amazing idea!!

My question, "If they are on their deathbed, who writes the $10K cheque?"

Great share, @Walter Hay

 

[Kasimir]

I totally forgot about that idea, but it recently came up over a lunch meeting.
And I still think it's great. I wouldn't put a lot of thought in on how to make it scalable with TVs or anything. But rather just send somebody to the funeral to speak some words. The Only problem is that you can't really reach old people through the internet... and the other idea that you do more or less the same thing, but you're still alive. So you pay somebody who will tell for example a family member you don't like to F*ck off. But there you have the problem that it can escalate pretty quickly. In any case it would need to be some type of luxury service.
But I still think it's an amazing idea.

 

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[Kasimir]

well - you could advertise to other folks while you are at the last funeral - could end up with a line, " Hire me at YOUR funeral! my phone number is written here on the back side of the coffin! "

I met our local funeral director twice in the last year (buried two elderly grandparents, one on my side of the family and one on the wife's side) and at the 2nd funeral I noticed what he did.. after the body was buried, he turned around and shook all of the close families hands, said his condolences and moved on....

When he was part ways through I realized that he was sizing up the future market, and making sure they all knew him, nearly had to laugh out loud when I realized it!

Oh wow, but let's be honest he is doing an amazing job at getting to know future costumers. Maybe morally not perfect, but who cares.
Fascinating story. Thanks for sharing!
And sorry for your loss.

 

[ItsAJackal]

Just saw a few items in one of the articles:

"The unusual nature of Mr Edgar's job has caught the eye of the entertainment industry and he has signed a deal for it to be made into a movie or drama series."

"When priests and funeral directors have tried to prevent Mr Edgar from delivering his secrets, he has not let that stop him delivering on his contract with the deceased."

"That means that I've arranged previously to have the body of my client taken away and cremated or buried at a private ceremony."

I think it's a great idea, but it has to be incredibly stressful and possibly dangerous if you are dropping some bombshell on a group of people. It also said part of his deal is to go on private property and destroy things that were not meant to be found by the family.

I'm pulling all these quotes from this article.