[magellan]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

I think your on to something! Thats a great idea!!
LOL! yeah, some goofy AFHV's music and your good! The music really makes the video. I did one of our camping pictures with some Gordon Lightfoot "Carefree Highway" and its awesome!
How about a wallet alarm. I start to panic when I cant find mine!!
I dont know much about facebook believe it or not, just never really had the time. I guess I better before someone calls me an old timer.
Another thing is that google thing where you post sites and make money. I never really thought about doing it, but my brother in law told me he tried it (in the little spare time he has), and made $80 in a few weeks. I paid the .99 cents for it and am gonna see what I can do with it.

I looked it up and it seems pretty simple. You can just create a fanpage for your business, and then create ads on facebook around keywords.

Login | Facebook

Facebook is a great way to reconnect with people, especially from high school, but it gets old fast. But it does have something like 230 Million users now, and growing fast.

Your idea about finding your wallet has potential. They make the little sound cartridges in greeting cards pretty small now. You could sell a sheet of 3 or 4 of them for people to attach to their keys, their wallet, the remote, anything that they habitually lose. Then they can just press a button (of course, I'd probably lose the button), and the little cartridge would beep or play music so that you could locate what you were looking for, just like most cordless phones have now. You could even choose different ringtones for different objects ("Money" by Pink Floyd for a wallet).

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by magellan

I looked it up and it seems pretty simple. You can just create a fanpage for your business, and then create ads on facebook around keywords.

Login | Facebook

Facebook is a great way to reconnect with people, especially from high school, but it gets old fast. But it does have something like 230 Million users now, and growing fast.

Your idea about finding your wallet has potential. They make the little sound cartridges in greeting cards pretty small now. You could sell a sheet of 3 or 4 of them for people to attach to their keys, their wallet, the remote, anything that they habitually lose. Then they can just press a button (of course, I'd probably lose the button), and the little cartridge would beep or play music so that you could locate what you were looking for, just like most cordless phones have now. You could even choose different ringtones for different objects ("Money" by Pink Floyd for a wallet).

Ok, I guess I should look into it. Thanks!

[YAZ]

You guys are much more creative than me.

I s'pose I'm into that "hard labor" thing...

[magellan]

Originally Posted by YAZ

You guys are much more creative than me.

I s'pose I'm into that "hard labor" thing...

Work smarter, not harder.

Here's another frustration: if anyone can figure out a way to totally eliminate the need for ironing clothes, I'm in! (so is my DW)

[mr penguin]

Why do people think a new business has to be a revolutionary idea? I say look at a field that you know a LOT about. The people, the spending habits, the trends, etc. Address a need that is not being met. Do it better than anybody else is doing it. Ask yourself how long can you make dog videos and make a living at it. With any new business your first question should be who is my first customer? How bout after him? Consider the competition. Nothing makes any small business person roll his eyes quicker than seeing some dumb@ss open a candle shop or ethnic clothing shop or a video rental that will never make it a year. Yet it's thought that their ideas are SO unique that it will just take a while to "get off the ground". Wal-Mart sells candles. If there was any money in ethnic crap they would have some too. Try competing with Blockbuster or Family Video.... These places and ideas last 'till the savings runs out and the landlord just finds another "entreprenuer". Get real. What could you do to make some money TODAY? Start there. Do good work. Charge a fair price. Follow that path. You will find the right business. If you thought of it 100 other people did too. Except 98 of them dont want to put out any effort. The thought is that it's supposed to be easy and the money will just roll in by itself because we're just so damn smart. I got canned from my job 23 1/2 years ago and started Penguin Amusement the next day. deleted: advertising

[jmlowman]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

Exactly. Especially the "older" folks who have no clue how to do this, and are amazed you can even do it! People will eat that kind of stuff right up, and pay good money. Especially the "niche" crowd, like people who have tons of pictures of their dog, or a guy who has a ton of fishing pictures. Fun money...and its a blast to do!

Not just older people, either.

However, what makes the market great for that sort of thing is that older people tend to have family photos that go back generations, who would like to preserve them before they deteriorate further. Granted, they can find that sort of thing, but that might be a good way to market yourself.

After I clean out my mother's condo in Florida, I'm sure that I'll be presented with the same problem.

[Driller1]

I thought about things people can not live without. My answer was water. Think, you will find yours.

[Driller1]

Originally Posted by YAZ

Cut grass in the summer, plow driveways/parking lots in the winter.

Charter fishing on Lake Michigan.

Pasty shop. Not the kind at the gentlemen's clubs...

Make custom golf clubs.

Career counselor.

The charter fishing, I think you need a license.

[zthatzmanz28]

Wind Turbines....heard that straight from Jenny.

They are gonna save us..

[magellan]

Originally Posted by mr penguin

Why do people think a new business has to be a revolutionary idea? I say look at a field that you know a LOT about. The people, the spending habits, the trends, etc. Address a need that is not being met. Do it better than anybody else is doing it. Ask yourself how long can you make dog videos and make a living at it. With any new business your first question should be who is my first customer? How bout after him? Consider the competition. Nothing makes any small business person roll his eyes quicker than seeing some dumb@ss open a candle shop or ethnic clothing shop or a video rental that will never make it a year. Yet it's thought that their ideas are SO unique that it will just take a while to "get off the ground". Wal-Mart sells candles. If there was any money in ethnic crap they would have some too. Try competing with Blockbuster or Family Video.... These places and ideas last 'till the savings runs out and the landlord just finds another "entreprenuer". Get real. What could you do to make some money TODAY? Start there. Do good work. Charge a fair price. Follow that path. You will find the right business. If you thought of it 100 other people did too. Except 98 of them dont want to put out any effort. The thought is that it's supposed to be easy and the money will just roll in by itself because we're just so damn smart. I got canned from my job 23 1/2 years ago and started Penguin Amusement the next day. deleted: advertising

That "secret to success" sounds like it's right out of the 1990's. It doesn't cut it these days.

Although I will agree that staying away from a small retail shop is a smart idea. Incredibly retail is the first thing that most people think of when thinking about opening a business.