Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I`d love to see what you folks think are the hottest business opportunities out there these days, and what opportunities will be hot in the coming year.

If you could wipe the slate clean right now and start all over, what kind of business would it be?

And why?

Rich

P.S. We`ll try to talk about some of the ideas you post here on our radio show.

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Rich Sloan , Co-Founder, Chief Startupologist, StartupNation

here we go:

1. Energy Nation: This would be a startup nation for farmers creating energy on their land. I`m talking  wind and bio-mass. Knowledge will travel fast in the internet age. Although each individual farmer may not be rich, the storm of knowledge transfer might be focused into one point.
2. Electric cars: GM, I think said that the electric car cost them 80K + to make... what they don`t understand is that there is a small market for 150K electric cars. Using CAD and the internet, it is quite conceivable to make a very limited run or 2-300 a year built by hand.  If it turns out to work ... then you go public, or sell the brand.
3. Sell to the Chinese: Wise Chinese millionaires will start to realize that all their wealth is tied up in making things, they need to diversify, and they have a bunch of US dollars. What`s the opposite of a Chinese manufacture?  >>>> An american service company.  Be the guy that sells service companies to Asia. Act as a broker, and show them the ropes. We  laughed at the Japanese when they bought all the US real estate in the 80s. It`s going to happen again.

I`m going to agree with Jeff... energy is huge. I`d love to hear about innovative companies in this sector.

Also--
Web 2.0. What are some hot companies and how are they making money?

Maybe on the small business side... scrapbooking. I hear my mom and her friends talk about it all the time.

Rich,

Energy is # 1. as far as big money and big investment. BTW did anybody see that Extreme Engineering show about how they are tapping the huge natural gas field off of the northern coast of Russia  a Large enough field to power the current world`s needs for 40 years!

IF I had my choice to wipe the slate clean and get into something big. It would probably be directing the engineering and construction of a feasible high speed rail system in this country that could be implemented over a decade, create loads of jobs, and present a true energy savings over air travel. It kills me to see that we have so much to gain by developing a quality rail system here yet we red tape every single idea to death. The only reason I`m glad that we haven`t done anything with it yet is because we have been able to see the technology get better and better.

 

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~Eric
JE Design Group, LLC
If all you do is what you`ve done, then all you`ll get is what you`ve got.
www.jedesigngroup.com

Okay, Okay, I am a shill.

Hottie Body Tan www.hottiebodytan.com  We all love vanity and want to look better!  The tanning industry is a 5 billion dollor industry...and it continues to grow with additional "cosmetic upgrades"...okey my elevator pitch it up.

I say vanity, all the way!

 

This is my first post :)

As I’m doing now… I think the hottest thing is.. Investing into our future “KIDS”

 

The #1 thing being lost in the USA today is the children. Being able to not only raise the education standards but also the motivation of learning, is the key to securing the future of this country,

No matter what we do today to secure funds thru business, all we have for tomorrow to ensure the fund are secured are the kids of today.

 

I know I’m rambling,

The point is, building the Family structure back into American life is IMO the hottest business of the today & the future.

 

As the questions come I will indulge into what my company is & how it provides a “key” missing element in today world.

 

 

Scott.

so, scott, you believe you`ve identified a hot problem (or priority, better said) and what is the business opportunity?

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Rich Sloan , Co-Founder, Chief Startupologist, StartupNation

Well with out going into to much detail, "Due to I`m building the franchise as we speak"
”Which by the way I will need some help with later on”

 

It a type of business that hasn’t been introduced to the market place yet, it the type of business that allows families to build strength, and allows the children of today to get the “HANDS ON” type of interaction that in today’s DIGITAL world is being lost.

I can’t go much further with out spilling the beans on what I’m building.

 

Sorry for being so vague, but the likely hood of somebody taking my idea and spinning it off, is VERY likely.

I was advice by my lawyers to not even come to this website, and keep tight lipped until the proper documents are in place so I must secure the correct path before I reveal the business. But I can tell you this, I have invested $100,000 of my own money to do open a proof of concept location, and it was a HUGE success, it was so good, that it could of just stayed open & keep on going, But I have bigger plans, & didn’t want that single location to take me away from my future goals. So I have collected all the data from that POC location and now are in the middle of working with 2 firms to not only fine-tune all the “BUSISESS” side of things but the CAPTIOL as well, I have been told be many of people, “with kids & without” that they are SOO surprised that this idea has not been done already & what a wonderful & NEEDED thing in the world this idea is. I have had offers to just but the rights to the idea in upwards to 1.5 million dollars but I know I can not let $$ blind me on the bigger picture, “giving a bit more hope to the kid of tomorrow, with the company I have & will be forming”

 

If you think you want more info, based on wanting to help, please feel free to contact me in any form you wish, if you do your home work, you will be able to find my contact info

 

Scott.

 

scott, by all means keep your concept confidential! let`s leave it at that and we`ll look forward to your postings later in your project as you "go public" with your business.

rich

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Rich Sloan , Co-Founder, Chief Startupologist, StartupNation

I wonder about the future of online businesses, particularly online education delivery. I currently attend an online university (not one of the "big" names) and they are busier than ever.

Are there other opportunities for online education and other things that were once very local but now easily delivered to an online audience?

- Casey