Good business ideas in the Twin Cities these days? (Minneapolis: casino, taxes)

[queenswake]

Everyone knows it's hard to start a business in MN, not only because of the taxes, but I think because unlike other more affluent areas, services businesses don't do as well. Minnesotans either can't afford or refuse to pay for someone to do things like deliver propane taxes to their house, pick up their dog droppings, etc. In other cities, people pay for these things, as well as even more ridiculous things just because they are busy and can easily afford to pay others to make a problem go away. But Minnesotans are pretty tough and insist on doing things themselves.

So anyway, what are some good small business ideas that could go in Minnesota in the current climate?

[Ghengis]

I was thinking of starting a business that would write forum postings for people that don't know have the time to become informed because they're too busy picking up dog crap in their yards.

Minneapolis-St. Paul sit atop Midwest's small-business standings - The Business Journals

[kuan]

If only life were so easy.

1) Ask some unknown person to pick a business for you
2) Sink $100k into that business
3) Sit back and harvest the profits

[icicles]

I think in Minnesota the food is horrible. there are no tex mex, BBQ places at all that are worth anything.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by queenswake

Everyone knows it's hard to start a business in MN, not only because of the taxes, but I think because unlike other more affluent areas, services businesses don't do as well. Minnesotans either can't afford or refuse to pay for someone to do things like deliver propane taxes to their house, pick up their dog droppings, etc. In other cities, people pay for these things, as well as even more ridiculous things just because they are busy and can easily afford to pay others to make a problem go away. But Minnesotans are pretty tough and insist on doing things themselves.

So anyway, what are some good small business ideas that could go in Minnesota in the current climate?

Most people in MN would think it's a waste of money to have someone else pick up after your dog, when it takes about 2 minutes to do it. It takes 5 minutes to run to the store, pick up a new propane tank and come home. Why would you pay someone to do that? No, MN's are more frugal....and it paid off when the market crashed.....

[Globe199]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Most people in MN would think it's a waste of money to have someone else pick up after your dog, when it takes about 2 minutes to do it. It takes 5 minutes to run to the store, pick up a new propane tank and come home. Why would you pay someone to do that? No, MN's are more frugal....and it paid off when the market crashed.....

Several of my friends enlisted craigslist "companies" to clean up doggie-soiled back yards after the winter. I haven't heard any of the results.

[Beenhere4ever]

To take an analytical approach: First, think of value. No matter where or how one works, the key concept is money for value. People only cough up money in the belief that value will return. Value relates to a lot of different things. Time has value. Convenience has value. Satisfaction of needs has value. Any human who interrogates him or herself can identify things they consider valuable. And it goes far, far beyond possessions. Anything of limited supply (like time) has value. Anyway, so a service can deliver one value or a value package. That's two or more values. The more there are, the less each one matters.

Second thing is for a potential business owner to understand what they can do or really really want to do. In essence, the things you hate most to do have to pay the most. Things you really really love to do are already rewarding and you can do them for less. And when you do anything for less, I believe you get a competitive edge.

As to examples, I don't have a catalog to trot out. You see people delivering value every day of your life. My own job involved making sure ATM's would cough up cash when people decided they needed some. It wasn't the most valuable thing on the planet, but I was assured any time an ATM in a casino failed, the casino operator would get very irate. How can they TAKE the money from the gambler if he can't get it out of the ATM? Kinda crass, but that's a reality.

Things I never did? I didn't teach people to read. I could have done that for less because I think it is the ultimate form of "teaching a man to fish". Every successful reading teacher is enabling a person to make thousands of dollars. And providing employers with someone who'll help the business succeed.

What do I love most to do? Well, sadly, it has no value to anyone else. But I don't think that's true of potential entrepreneurs. Many or most of them love to do something that can be valuable to others. I see ALL these people on bicycles on the city streets. They are getting great exercise. But any one of them might be delivering a letter or parcel somewhere far faster than a van would. That's a meeting of desired activity with value. Other people love working with wood. Any thousands of people wish they had quality wood products. There's a guy right down the street from me who makes the most gorgeous things out of wood. Such a pleasure passing his house. Well, that kind of wonderful hobby could be of value to someone else.

Anyway, not to beat a dead horse, but entrepreneurs by the millions are out there conceiving ways to make our lives more pleasant. I'm really happy we have people with that sort of imagination. And very few, if any, ask for enormous government handouts. They have the brains, they love an activity, and they just make value out of it.

[StilltheSame]

I think there is always the potential for services that involve trade type work (plumbing, woodwork, tiling, gardening). I would also look at other cities to see what is popular that is not prominent here. When we first moved here we missed the yogurt bars -I jokingly said we should open one. a year later there were 3 in a 2 mile radius! Same thing with blow dry bars.
If you could get a drycleaners that didi $1.99 or 2.49 flat - like other cities - you would make a killing! I couldnt believe the cost of drycleaning here!

[Beenhere4ever]

Were the oxygen bars ever tried here. Saw one in Las Vegas back in May.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Beenhere4ever

Were the oxygen bars ever tried here. Saw one in Las Vegas back in May.

Yes. I think there are still some around, MOA maybe?