Comments on: 8 stupid frat-boy business ideas

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 01 May 2009 22:07:11 +0000

Did No. 5 while in College. You’re right. I learned a lot about how to not run a business.
No. 1 was done “successfully” while in grad school, but only because its sole purpose was to get the students cheaper books at the Peoples Bookstore, which was staffed by the students. So not a “business” and no one got rich, but the students spent less.
As a follow up on the Peoples Bookstore when I was teaching at a different school, my course materials were photocopied, that bookstore charging my students, but not giving me anything for it as an author. So I just made the thing available for free, online.

By: mokane

mokane — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:54:30 +0000

Let’s not forget the fratboy entrepreneurs from the University of Florida who started a cocaine business; then sold it to an incoming pledge and his buddy. After running the business for a couple of years, they cashed out and sold it in turn. They used the money to start LensExpress. True story. Of course, they were eventually caught and spent time in prison, but LensExpress is going strong.

True story.

By: Gabe da Silveira

Gabe da Silveira — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 05:20:15 +0000

I’m reminded of this t-shirt–just substitute “ideas” in place of “questions”

Actually I wouldn’t be caught dead trying any of those ideas, but frankly, I think there are people out there who will make every one of them work. Any particular business idea requires the right characteristics in an individual to develop the potential. Without looking closer at how past ventures have failed, it’s silly to write off an idea because a lot of drunks have come up with it. At least that tells you there’s some demand.

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:46:40 +0000

The stream of lame business ideas with which I’m assaulted is exhausting. What amazes me is how people continually come up with the most pathetically obvious ideas and seem to think they’re original,especially anything related to advertising, auction, job or dating websites.

I don’t bother trying to explain why they suck anymore, I just nod and say “you might have something there” while I slowly back out towards to door.

By: Victor Teixeira

Victor Teixeira — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:33:12 +0000

I just don’t agree.

If everybody thinks this way there would be no Google, since the search market was already dominated by Yahoo, Altavista, Hotbot, AOL and others. But them the guys behind google just created a better product, created all the buzz and now they are number 1.

Again, You Tube was not the first viceo sharing site, but the guys made the best video sharing site and now they are number one.

Basecamp was not the first Project Management webapp, it’s not the most feature rich, but it’s the most successful. They have more than 1 milion customers.

If I think the same way as you I’ll just stop everything in my life because everything you can think about has already been built.

The answer is: make it better, make it from a new point of view.

Or just make a totally new product with no competition, but that will be really hard.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:53:50 +0000

I COMPLETELY agree with this article, mainly because we share the same sentiments. For those who think that this article is meant to be discouraging, get your panties out of a bunch cause it isn’t. I believe it’s just urging budding entrepreneurs to think outside of the box, and try to create something that hasn’t been overdone. Who gives two shit about threadless.com, T-SHIRTS ARE OVERDONE. I mean, c’mon its the 21st century. A lot of the businesses mentioned in the list just isn’t gonna cut it anymore in the future, so we need to step our game up.

By: Luke101

Luke101 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:02:46 +0000

The guy at meshplex makes alot of money im sure. He has a guide on how to make money from articles for the rest of your life:
http://www.meshplex.org/wiki/Money/How_to_Make_Money_with_a_Website

By: Fan-Dabi-Dosi

Fan-Dabi-Dosi — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:40:38 +0000

As I keep saying to an old school mate ‘ You can start a business with a couple a £’s’
All you got to do is rotate the money such as buy your first small amount of stock, sell that and with it you buy more stock and-so-on.
then before you know it your on your way.
Make sure you have your head screwed on. Only buy products that you know that’ll sell.

By: business

business — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:30:50 +0000

Threadless(dot)com is making tons and tons of money selling shirts. Millions, with a startup cost of $500. But yes, most t-shirt companies will fail because they’re boring, mediocre, with no purpose or passion.

By: Your Worse Nightmare

Your Worse Nightmare — Tue, 13 May 2008 23:42:20 +0000

Stop writing to discourage entrepreneurs. Part of starting a business is rough patches and failures. Get a life and write about something positive.