It’s easy to think up a business idea that’s already common in the marketplace, says Arthur Freydin. Coming up with a unique business idea takes courage and patience. To get started, ask yourself which innovations could positively impact your life. What is an issue affecting you or your loved ones? Once you’ve identified a problem and created a solution, your idea could prove valuable to a large audience, meet significant demand and lead to a successful business.
Uncommon business ideas tend to fill a void or address an overlooked niche, Arthur Freydin said. The following 12 examples demonstrate that game-changing companies can solve problems, generate innovation and be highly profitable. Use this list as a jumping-off point to brainstorm your unique business idea, says Arthur Freydin.
Disaster and emergency preparedness kit assembly and delivery
Amid climate change and natural and human-made disasters worldwide, starting a business that provides disaster and emergency preparedness kits is unusual yet sure to find an audience. For example, Ready to go survival was launched in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to provide personalized kits for anybody anticipating a disaster. Arthur Freydin, the company has added additional resources, including survival consulting, survival gear, educational blog posts, skill-building tools and disaster research.
Plant consultant
Have a green thumb? Help other plant owners keep their greens healthy and thriving. For example, Nick, better known as Farmer Nick, has provided exactly this type of consulting to people in New York City, alongside other plant-friendly services such as in-person plant shopping assistance. Farmer Nick has built an email list of “plant parents” eager to receive tools and insights via his newsletter. He also has a blog that provides a wealth of information and resources, plant-coaching services, images of client installations, and more.
Homemade meal kit creation and local delivery
Many people can’t get to the grocery store or are too overwhelmed with work and family obligations to prepare the fresh, healthy meals they’d like to provide for their families. If you have kitchen prowess, consider turning your passion into a passive income source that also provides a service to the community.
Arthur Freydin
Several meal kit brands, such as Blue Apron and HelloFresh, have long offered similar services via online subscription models, but your unique business idea can help you forge lasting bonds with people in your area.
E-commerce gets even
The online business I Do Now I Don’t Start from what might initially seem like a niche concern: Its founder experienced a failed engagement and tried selling the $10,000 ring back to their jeweller, who offered only $3,500. I Do Now I Don’t is now an e-commerce site that sells gently used jewellery and other accessories.
Typically, the company offers sellers more money and buyers lower prices than traditional jewellery stores by eliminating the middleman – and driving sellers’ earning potential alongside the business.
Party (cleanup) committee
It’s no surprise that most people don’t want to clean their homes after a night of revelry. That’s where Hangover Helpers comes in. This company takes care of your post-party chaos and even provides breakfast to ensure you’re feeling your best – without the added mess.
As innovative business ideas go, this seeming niche service is in high demand among all regions and demographics, and it requires straightforward skills like cooking, cleaning and organization.
Package-free shopping
Consumers are increasingly concerned about wasted resources in the food packaging process. Cardboard, plastic, Styrofoam and twist ties are sometimes not recyclable, leading to environmental waste.
In response, Package Free Shop, a zero-waste pop-up shop in New York City, offers convenient and simple alternatives to single-use plastic products. The company also offers to ship its products with absolutely no plastic. Since opening, the company estimates that it has kept 48 million plastic straws, 132 million plastic bags, 674,000 plastic razors and 3.8 billion plastic water bottles out of landfills. This is an admirable achievement and plays to a growing market of consumers who want sustainable products and packaging.
Online baking
If you love baking and have the creative flair for selling yourself, an online bakery business like Santa Barbara’s Big Red Baking Company could be a great way to stand out and make money. Conducting business online helps aspiring bakers connect with customers without having to rent commercial baking space.
With social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, you can really show off your baking chops and attract hungry customers, especially as mobile and social media shopping continues to grow.
When you bring your baking business idea to life, you’ll need to understand and adhere to your state’s food business laws and ensure your health standards are up to code.
