'Dead' end, or buried treasure?

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Robert J.

Years ago, right here on SowP (I'm pretty sure I found it on here), I would visit the blog of a young man who wrote (and monetized) about out-of-the-ordinary businesses. Many of the bizes were the essence of the Side Hustle, before the term was even coined.

An interesting one ... just odd enough to have the appeal of candy, involved enterprising folk who used modern methods (gentle chemicals and tools) to rehab aging and ugly grave markers.

Yesterday, I tripped over a 5-year-old story in the Mansfield (CT) Patch about one such company. At the time, the couple's business was a month-old newborn.

Here's the story: https://patch.com/connecticut/mansfi...the-gravestone

Alas, as we know, quite often the businesses featured in these fluffy promotional stories often dry up and fail ... sometimes in short order. Curiously, and without a lot of optimism, I clicked on some links.

I was pleased to learn that the business, by all indications, appears to be strong and vital, having carved out a couple interesting sub-niches.

Clearly, this is the kind of "business" that isn't really a business at all. It is a "build your own job." But for this couple, who seem to get along well enough to work together, it looks like they have a decent job for both of them.

Best of all: No bosses! (OK, yes, when you are in business, EVERYBODY - all your customers and even prospective customers - are your boss. But in this case, you could even make the case that their "bosses" are all dead and buried!)

For me, it sounds like a lot of hard, hands-on work for not a lot of money. I can't imagine people are shelling out big bucks to brighten the tombstone on great grandma's grave.

In the pro column, somebody who enjoys the outdoors and working with their hands (and has a knack for attention to details), this could be a fun little Side Hustle.

And for the marketers out there, just imagine to potential for press coverage.

Newspapers and local digital media (like the Patch properties) should be easy picking!

Our old friend SteveSki, pet photog extra-donaire did pretty well with a camera.

My point, for every guy out there cleaning tombstones, shoveling dog poo, washing windows, painting curbs...doing the MANUAL LABOR routine,

there is someone, somewhere,

taking pics, creating memories, selling products with high profits to those people who have money to spend on their kids, pets and friends.

A lot less digging to do to find some gold.

Gordon

Originally Posted by GordonJ

Our old friend SteveSki, pet photog extra-donaire did pretty well with a camera.

My point, for every guy out there cleaning tombstones, shoveling dog poo, washing windows, painting curbs...doing the MANUAL LABOR routine,

there is someone, somewhere,

taking pics, creating memories, selling products with high profits to those people who have money to spend on their kids, pets and friends.

A lot less digging to do to find some gold.

Gordon

Everybody runs around with a camera (phone) all day, but there is still some good money to be had providing "keepsakes of the now" for folks.

Any number of profit-able niches, including families (kid pix), pets, amateur athletes ... and of course the old standbys like weddings and portraits.

Think about it and something might "click," huh?

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Robert J.

Everybody runs around with a camera (phone) all day, but there is still some good money to be had providing "keepsakes of the now" for folks.

Any number of profit-able niches, including families (kid pix), pets, amateur athletes ... and of course the old standbys like weddings and portraits.

Think about it and something might "click," huh?

Thanks Robert J.

So, I was running around yesterday, camera in pocket (phone) and I went to bank, and Discount Drug Mart, my fav store, a sort of throwback to a Woolworth's, a bit of everything...

And I noticed at the counter they had a special, for 1.99 I can get an 8x10 COLLAGE printed.
Well, our downtown is being redone, and what was a pedestrian mall for 30 years is being opened to traffic, a 12 million dollar project.

I read your post and wondered, why am I not snapping pics along the way? What a great opportunity to CREATE a keepsake, mix in a few OLD 1975 pics with TODAY'S construction, and offer a COLLAGE.

Well, today and tomorrow, I'll be snapping and creating a few pics, and then maybe offer them at Alumni sites. My class had almost a 1000 kids in it, close to 3k in a 3 grade high school. With thousands of alumni, and a bit of nostalgia, I should be able to make it worth my while, just walking around as usual, but being AWARE I have a money maker in my pocket, if I choose to use it and my NOGGIN, and cheap ready to use technology. I'm going to blow the 8x10 up into a 18 x 24 poster, and see if that can be sold.

Good ideas are here, when people decide to post. We just never know what someone will do with these ideas.

Gordon

Here is an idea that someone might want to run with....I did this site and after doing it realized there was a pretty decent market for it, and a pretty fair profit for the time involved in doing the site...and the nice part is the leads are readily available and the content is basically given to you...all you have to know (or learn) is basic html to bring it all together.

I don't usually give my ideas away...but in reality my plate is full and overflowing, and I will most likely never get around to doing this for a profit...so perhaps a member here might see the opportunity present and want to persue it.

The site I am referring to is joyceforden.com

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by Cornell

Here is an idea that someone might want to run with....I did this site and after doing it realized there was a pretty decent market for it, and a pretty fair profit for the time involved in doing the site...and the nice part is the leads are readily available and the content is basically given to you...all you have to know (or learn) is basic html to bring it all together.

I don't usually give my ideas away...but in reality my plate is full and overflowing, and I will most likely never get around to doing this for a profit...so perhaps a member here might see the opportunity present and want to persue it.

The site I am referring to is joyceforden.com

Thanks Cornell... That's a great business idea!

Best wishes,

Dien