How-To Video Site

I noticed that there are lots of how-to videos on you tube, but most of them are not worth paying for. Asking someone to pay for a video implies that the seller believes it is worth paying for. It means they put more effort into it than Joe Schmo with his cheap video camera.

How can the seller get the buyer to believe the same? This is the business challenge, the critical success factor.

1. Sell the video host as an expert in their field (give a free lecture a local college, read the top selling books on the topic, emphasize that this material really does work).
2. Get some testimonials from people who have watched the video.
3. Start buying some google ad words related to your how-to video

To further the concept, here's my video idea: How to Get the Best Interest Rate on Your Mortgage

Here's my pitch. I've bought a house, and refinanced twice. Realtors can't be trusted completely, and lenders can't be trusted completely.

This video will help people lower their monthly payments by $50-$100 a month. It will cost $49 and would come with several related free items (How to Find the Best Interest Rate for Your Bank Account).

Thoughts?

HighSchoolTV.com

Currently, HighSchoolTV.com is not being used for high school TV. Why is that?

What if HighSchoolTV.com had a funny show with a host travelling to high schools all over the nation? They could interview students and teachers, highlight special schools, create competition between schools, anything that is entertaining. What if 200,000 high schoolers started watching?

It's risky because the show might suck, but how much would it actually cost? Here's the checklist of what the business needs:

1. Camera
2. Computer
3. A host for the show
4. Web hosting fees
5. Time

Content creators are the king of the web. The entrepreneur who is willing to become a director will find success. Small budgets can take on big networks now. Entertainment has more to do with good ideas than nice cameras.

Really this idea is about producing TV shows online. It could be anything. It could be full length movies. If it's entertaining, people will watch. If people watch, advertisements are worth money.

Car Wash While You Work

Pretty simple really. Arrange to be at different large business every day of the week. As people walk into work they give a key and $20 to the people washing cars. By the time lunch roles around, their car is washed and waxed.

20 cars per day makes $400 per day, $2,000 per week. Perhaps the pricing could be increased for interior cleaning. Premium pricing on that would help profitability.

One factor to consider is that winter months could hurt business.

Daily Cartoon Emails

Draw cartoons.

Be funny every day.

Sell ads for your email.

Increase distribution list.

Make money.

Instant Pep Talks

The business is essentially a call center with the nicest people in the world. The trick is to develop some key psychological techniques that really work. When people have a good experience with it, they start to rely on it for times when they are nervous.

This business could help people get a little more confidence in their dating life. It could help someone who is afraid of being in front of people. It could help someone find a job, and it could make money while doing it.

Sometimes, what people really need is a confidence boost. They just need someone to tell them to stop sulking and give it another try. They need someone to essentially hand them a magic pill which makes them think positive thoughts.

Before a big date, a customer calls. $20 for a 15 minute pep talk.

Before a big interview, somebody reminds you of your strengths and builds you up (for $20).

I've had crazier ideas. In a big city, this one might just work.

Small Business Development Loans (General)

I was talking to one of my college professors the other day about starting businesses, and he said something that surprised me. He said that a person can get a small business development loan for up to $900,000 at an interest rate of 3-4%. I decided I better look into it.

I found out that he is right. Interest rates are not that low at the moment, but may have been that low at one point.

• The cheapest rates in Colorado are about 4.37%, for a 10 year loan.
• The payment for a $500,000 loan would be about $5,200 per month, for 10 years.
• A person can borrow up to $1 million, with a $25,000 minimum loan.
• There are 20 year loan options with a higher interest rate (5.25% currently), but lower monthly payments ($3,400 per month).

Do you think you could do it?

If you had 500 grand for a building, equipment, and inventory, could you generate $5,200 per month in profit with your business idea?

New Hobby Shopping Service

This would be a service that finds the best deals on products. The customer makes a list, and an expert finds the best deals.

For example, a person wants to start backpacking, and needs to start buying the right gear. They tell a buyer (their personal sales representative), who makes a custom price list for the customer. If the buyer is not an expert in this area, she consults another buyer.

The costomer receives a list of the lowest priced, highest quality items. It also give a quick rundown of the logic behind each item, indicates how long the deals are valid, and advises when items will be priced better at a later time. The buyer could also look for craigslist items in the customer's area, and used items on ebay.

The cost could be a flat rate for larger items, or 5-10% of the total order. Since the buyer saved the customer over 50%, this is a fair offer.

Obviusly this service is good for all kinds of shopping, but hobbies work well because people spend lots of money when they start a new hobby and have no idea where to begin.