22 Random Business Ideas

Inspiration and opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs

I have been entrepreneurial since I was a kid. My antennae have always been up for startup business ideas that seem to be overlooked. Through my travels and experiences, I have taken mental (as well as actual) notes of ideas that I think could work. That said, most of these ideas have not made it beyond a spreadsheet and I don’t have the capacity to act on them myself anytime soon. I am not afraid to share my ideas with the world, so if anyone wishes to take and run with them, I say to have at it!

Here are 22 of my random business ideas. If you’re interested in seriously pursuing any of them and want to hear more of my thoughts, feel free to reach out. If you have better ideas or think I’m off my rocker with any, please let me know as well….

Products & Technology

1. Snow Melting Drones -

The problem: It seems like there should be an easier way for the average person to clear snow off of driveways and sidewalks.

The solution: Some early versions of snow melting drones have been developed, but nothing that has yet scaled for rapid personal use adoption. How many countless hours are wasted and muscles pulled each year with snow shoveling, an activity that solves a problem but does not produce any tangible societal benefit? Can we find a way to incorporate safe heat-producing lasers or chemicals intro drones? Time for the robots to take over the battle against against the snow gods!

2. Airplane Seat Elevator -

The problem: How often must strangers fight over elbow space and use of armrests on airplane rides?

The solution: This is not rocket science, folks. Why can’t airplane seat manufacturers produce seats that can go up and down by at least six inches and allow EVERY passenger to have a humane amount of elbow room and two arm rests to use for two arms? I think this technology exists. Where is the will to do it on the part of the airlines? Added benefit: for passengers who elevate their seats to sit higher up, they also gain increased legroom!

3. Tooth Flossing Mouth Guard Device -

The problem: Flossing teeth is essential for good oral hygiene, but can be a pain to do properly and most people do not floss at all or do not do it adequately.

The solution: Picture a mouth guard that sits in the mouth and does the job of tooth flossing automatically by intelligently reaching all corners of the mouth to ensure a proper cleaning each time.

4. Kids Activity and Events Directory -

The problem: It is nearly impossible for parents to know what options are available for entertaining their children (beyond dreaded screen time) on evenings, weekends, and vacation days, especially when it comes to transient and non-recurring activities. For example, a neighboring town may be hosting its annual carnival one weekend, but if you don’t live in that town, you may never be aware of it.

The solution: A comprehensive, easy-to-search and filter directory of all types of activities and events that are open to kids and families every day of the year.

5. Marketplace for Democratizing “Main Street” Business Funding -

The problem: For scalable technology businesses, the path to raising equity capital is generally well understood (angel investors, venture capital, etc.). For a “Main Street” or “mom-and-pop” or “lifestyle,” business, which represent the vast majority of small businesses, there are fewer options. Many entrepreneurs rely on bank loans, either SBA or non-SBA backed, which typically come attached with risky personal guarantees, liens on personal property, etc. It is not so easy to find equity investors or lenders who offer less onerous terms compared to typical risk-averse bank loans.

The solution: A marketplace solution to allow equity investors and debt lenders to put money into small business ideas that they believe in and are willing to have some skin in the game. There are many wonderful entrepreneurs who don’t have access to sufficient capital to execute their vision, while at the same time there are investors who are looking to put capital up as equity or debt into ideas that they support but do not plan to execute upon themselves. Why is there not a widely adopted, trusted platform for facilitating such matchmaking?

Health & Wellness

6. Chain of Gyms Dedicated to Connected Fitness -

The problem: The COVID pandemic spurred the rapid growth of connected fitness equipment, such as Peloton for biking, Hydrow for rowing, FightCamp for boxing, and many more. These machines not only made working out from home convenient, but it also triggered the interest in a more interactive workout experience. However, many would-be consumers do not have the space at home or cannot afford to acquire such equipment. Meanwhile, many connected fitness providers have been struggling in their ability to grow their reach.

The solution: A chain of gyms that offer all of the popular connected home-based fitness platforms, which can be reserved and used by individuals who are unable to have such equipment at home or may be traveling and are trying to keep up with their workout routines.

7. Prenatal and Postpartum Wellness Centers -

The problem: Expecting moms and those with newborns face many challenges as they navigate one of life’s biggest adjustments, i.e. bringing a healthy, happy human life into the world, while also maintaining their own health and wellbeing.

The solution: A comforting and welcoming “in real life” facility that offers the services of nurse midwives, doulas, physical therapists, mental health counselors, and social workers. Both one-to-one and small groups sessions can be organized to help educate new parents in a friendly setting to support new moms who may be struggling or hoping to avoid postpartum depression, as well as ensuring all parents have the education, tools, and best practices at their disposal for raising their children in the best way possible.

8. Blind Massage -

The problem: Having been a business owner in the field of therapeutic massage, I can personally attest that there is consistently more demand than supply available to provide competent and personalized massage therapy. Concurrently, individuals with disabilities, including those who are visually impaired, often have severely limited career opportunities where they can earn a good living while providing meaningful services that fulfill a real need.

The solution: Inspired by my travels in Asia, I observed the popularity in countries such as China, where it is common to train blind individuals on offering therapeutic massage. With an enhanced sense of touch, blind massage can be a superior value and I am astonished that this concept has not yet spread across the globe even though it’s been practiced regionally for decades. Side note: check out the 2014 Chinese film Blind Massage.

9. Thermal Wellness Spas -

The problem: In the US, we don’t have many “third places” to go and relax, unwind, and do some detox from social media and digital addiction. Europe is way ahead of us.

The solution: In countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, I have visited dozens of thermal wellness spas that have blown my mind with the quality and variety of offerings. Built like resorts for locals, a large spa such as Therme Erding outside of Munich offers dozens of saunas, cold and warm thermal bathing facilities, restaurants, wellness services, and communal restorative experiences. Such facilities are growing increasingly popular worldwide thanks to the growth interest in resurrecting the ancient concept of social communal bathing, as well as the health data around the benefits of sauna usage and “hot and cold” contract therapy. There are signs that this market will emerge in the US in the coming years, however it is still quite nascent and outside of New York City, such businesses are barely a blip on the radar.

10. “Temazcal” Sweat Lodges -

The problem: Reiterating the problem of the previous business idea, we lack proper facilities for mental and physical detoxification and rejuvenation.

The solution: A Mexican and Native American indigenous tradition, the “temazcal” is difficult to explain without experiencing it for one’s self. It can be transformative for one’s mindset. Yet in practice, with a trained guide to lead, it would be easy to incorporate alongside yoga, wellness, and spiritual retreats of all kinds. Next time you’re vacationing in Cancun, get off the beach for a few hours and check one out if you’ve never tried it before!

Entertainment & Experiences

11. Museum of Myths, Legends & Conspiracy Theories

The problem: It seems that there are elements of society who are giving up on science and an evidence-based understanding of the world, and instead relying on ignorance and conspiracy theories to drive decisions that are potentially deadly (notably, vaccine denialism). It is further becoming harder for some people to differentiate between myths and reality in an age of social media bubbles that are full of dubious opinions masquerading as facts.

The solution: An immersive, interactive museum that asks important questions regarding common myths, legends, misconceptions, and conspiracy theories. Not to force people to have the right answer, but to use critical thinking and evidence-based logic to address how a commonly held belief could be proven or disproved.

12. Biggie and Tupac Rap Musical

The problem: OK, this one might be a little “out there,” especially coming from me, who has no background in the entertainment industry or is even a particularly hardcore rap or music fan… however, I always thought it would be fun to experience an imaginary rap battle musical between the late, great Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur.

The solution: I would not in a million years be the one to write or produce such a show, but surely someone with the right creative juices could come up with something here that would be a monster commercial hit with the fans of these two larger-than-life icons whose lives were both cut tragically short… Who needs Hamilton when you have Biggie and Tupac?

13. Turn the PBS Show “Finding Your Roots” into a Business

The problem: Personal genealogy research can be extremely tedious, time-consuming, and difficult.

The solution: Like in the show “Finding Your Roots” on PBS, have professional genealogists go all the way back in any individual’s family tree to uncover the mysteries of their lineage going as far back all direct family lines as possible. Have a project leader much like the show’s estimable host Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates personally deliver a verbal and physical record of everything that the team has uncovered.

Food, Food & More Food

Note: This section is partially locally oriented to what I feel like we’re missing where I live in Greater Boston, but in some cases could be applicable broadly across the country. Some of the ideas are inspired by concepts I’ve seen work elsewhere, especially from my time living in Europe.

14. German Beer Hall

I’ve seen a number of attempts at creating a German beer hall stateside, but most of them fall pretty flat in terms of replicating the authentic experience and cuisine that one would expect in Germany and some of its neighboring countries. We need proper Oktoberfest-inspired mega steins of beer, plus a menu of traditional German, Swiss, and Austrian fare and not a watered down Americanized version of such.

15. Dutch Pancake House

Dutch pancakes are moist and delicious and come in dozens of sweet and savory varieties. A huge hit with the tourists in Amsterdam, and yet nonexistent back home.

16. Georgian Restaurant

My all-time pick for the world’s most underappreciated cuisine is Georgian food. The world needs more khachapuri, khinkali, nigvziani badrijani, Georgian wines, and much more. I’ve found a few good spots around New York and Toronto, but otherwise the Georgian diaspora hasn’t apparently reached much of the world outside of the Caucasus and former Soviet countries.

17. Eastern European Fast Casual

The number of Eastern European restaurants around are few and far between and essentially none in the “fast food” category. I once ate caviar at a Moscow shopping mall food court… Why not elsewhere? I also really love a traditional burek like the kind I savored in Slovenia and other former Yugoslav republics. These make for quick, inexpensive, tasty snacks.

18. Middle East Peace Cafe

Can’t we all just get along? All of the warring peoples of the Middle East share one thing: food! Whether it’s hummus, falafel, shawarma, and more, perhaps we can all break bread together? How about a cafe that is certified both halal and kosher and serves the Middle Eastern delicacies that can bring everyone together? It shouldn’t have to be just an “Israeli” or “Lebanese” joint, but an “everyone” establishment!

19. Matcha Green Tea Cafe

Chock full of antioxidants, matcha tea is so versatile it can be the core of countless cakes, snacks, and beverages. With more and more Asian influences in the American diet, this one deserves to break out as a standalone opportunity.

20. Popup Potluck Dining

I have always thought a good idea for a Michelin-star level chef would be to create a restaurant that offers a limited selection (one or two fixed price menu options) per day that revolves on a daily or weekly basis. Keep things fresh and in demand. Nonrefundable, prepaid, flat rate meal with reservations by app only. Generate hype by keeping all of the food very fresh and also keep things interesting for the chef and team, who can be creative and present new, innovative dining experiences on a continual basis.

21. Ice Cream Party!

I am something of an ice cream addict, I will admit. My #1 favorite ice cream in the world is one that I do not get to have very often because it is only available in one city: Paris. Berthillon is well known among French locals and tourists alike… heck, I went there once at 10 in the morning for breakfast, because I could and you don’t get many chances if you’re not in Paris regularly. But it begs the question of why can’t anyone else come up with an ice cream formula that mimics the rich, flavorful decadence of Berthillon?

A separate ice cream business idea is to create a franchise around a healthier, vegan-based option that uses the popular hack of frozen bananas as the base, which when blended, forms a consistency that mimics actual ice cream quite respectably, and can be flavored (e.g., with fruit, cocoa powder, or almost anything else) to fit one’s taste preferences and be relatively guilt-free at the same time.

Education

22. Private School Targeting Immigrant Communities

I am not sure if this would count as a for-profit or non-profit venture, but I draw the inspiration for this from Star Academy, the upstart niche private school that my children attend outside of Boston. See my earlier podcast with the school’s co-founder and Director, Margarita Druker. It is my experience that a great deal of high achieving immigrants who come to the US find themselves disappointed in the educational options for their children. It is not so much a difference between public versus private schools alone, but simply the level of academic rigor, personal attention, and priorities that American schools generally provide. Many immigrant families have a strong appreciation for STEM education, language arts, and global cultural awareness that they find lacking in American primary and secondary school curricula. My ideal school would run from preschool through Grade 12 and cater to education-oriented immigrant and ethnic diaspora communities through small class sizes, fast-paced math and science learning, social studies, and language arts, including starting kids with bilingual immersion at the youngest ages. I would unify all students by offering Mandarin Chinese and then a choice of a third language (thinking Korean, Japanese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, and Hindi, for example) to satisfy a demand that is not being met today. Star Academy is pursuing much of this, but in-person education is such a localized service that I see such a model for education that could be applied in countless more communities across the country.

So there you go… Please take my ideas and go make millions. Or better yet, find a business opportunity that you are passionate about or can’t believe that no one else is solving. The opportunities for creativity and ingenuity for aspiring entrepreneurs are endless. Those willing to roll up their sleeves and put ideas into action are the leaders who will shape our future and make their small community or the entire world a better place.