These business ideas prove that “out-of-the-box” thinking can find opportunity in the most improbable places. Smart packaging and marketing also play a crucial role. Here are 10 quirky businesses that made a fortune.
10. Pet Rock
Invented in 1975 by advertising executive Gary Dahl, the product featured a hand-painted rock packaged in a cardboard box with ventilation holes and straw bedding imitating a pet carrier. Although the fad only lasted six months, Dahl sold over 1 million at $3.95 each through December 1975, becoming a multi-millionaire. It’s estimated they earned over $6 million.
9. Santa Mail
Kids have long written and mailed letters to Santa. In 1912, the USPS started an effort to respond. Unfortunately, they couldn’t couldn’t keep up with the volume. In the early 2000s, Jim Frankel decided to set up a service where kids would get personalized replies. Prices range from $5-$50. This service brings in an annual revenue exceeding $1 million.
8. Rent A Friend
Loneliness is a growing problem throughout the world. In 2009, Scott Rosenbaum started a service whereby someone could rent a friend for any occasion, be it a social event or simply someone to talk to. The cost ranges from $10-$50. This service took off because it offered a unique solution to a universal need for social interaction and companionship.
7. Flowbee
People spend a lot of money on haircuts. In 1988, inventor Rick Hunts invented the Flowbee, a haircutting device that solved two problems. It allowed an unskilled person to make a precision haircut, and its built-in vacuum cleaner kept the hair off the floor. It was a smash success, selling thousands of units at $100, becoming a household name. Hunts made millions.
6. Snuggie
The Snuggie is a sleeved blanket invented by Scott Boilen in 2008. It became a pop culture phenomenon. It initially sold for $14.95. As of December 2009, the company had sold 4 million units. In 2010, at a Cleveland Cavaliers game, Guinness World Records certified the crowd broke the world record for sleeved blanket wearing.
5. Potato Parcel
This unique idea for sending a personalized message to someone was conceived by Alex Craig in 2015. The recipient received a box and inside was a message inscribed on a potato. People loved it. They sold for $10-$20. After launching, Craig made $10,000 in sales monthly and sold over 3,000 potatoes in only four months.
4. Doggles
In 1997, Runi Di Lullo conceived the idea of creating specially designed goggles for dogs, offering protection from sun, dust, and debris. They look cool. MSN Money rated them #6 on “10 ideas that shouldn’t have worked – but made millions.” The U.S. Army buys them for its working dogs. They even offer prescription lenses. They’re sold in 16 countries.
3. Bottled Air
Two friends, Moses Lam and Troy Paquette, conceived of the idea as a prank, putting air in a Ziploc bag and offering it for sale. The media noticed and the bag sold for $130. They turned the idea into a real business. Vitality Air became successful, earning over $300,000 in sales annually for two consecutive years.
2. Slinky
In 1945, Richard T. James, a mechanical engineer, observed a spring “stepping” downward after being knocked off the shelf. It gave him the idea to invent a spring that “walked.” When neighborhood children became interested in his experiment, he started the company selling them for $1 each. In its first 60 years, an estimated 300 million Slinkys were sold.
1. Beanie Babies
Ty Warner invented Beanie Babies. Manufacturing began in 1994. They became a huge fad and collectible during the mid-late 1990s. They were considered the world’s first Internet sensation in 1995. Beanie Babies sold for $5 each initially. And they remain in high demand. A rare one sold in 2019 for $42,300. The original nine can sell for between $500-$2,000.
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