|
Posted by Asako Tsumagari on 03 Nov 2007, (40) Comments — Home & Garden |
Plain 'ol egg -- average opportunity
|
It’s late autumn and it’s your last chance to rake leaves from your yard before the snow arrives. Leaves have piled up in your yard and rain has already soaked them heavily. Without a super powered leaf blower and vacuum, it’s pretty tough to get the damp heavy leaves into the trash bin. What a pain in the neck . . . or should I say pain in the back!
In searching for a solution, I stumbled upon the Lawn Funnel for Plastic Bags. This is a great idea.
But what about something like this for the yard trash bin? After all, in many districts, including my own in the Seattle area, we’re required to put the leaves into trash bins if we want the city’s garbage management to haul them away.
So, this week’s startup idea is the Yard Trash Bin Funnel, an idea you can literally start in your garage.
Startup Concept – Yard Trash Bin Funnel
This startup idea is perfect startup for a home business as it can be bootstrapped with a small investment.
You can easily start by making a prototype using a cardboard. Test and tweak the design several times, engaging family, neighbors, and friends for user feedback.
Once you’ve figured out your product design, you’ll need to find a supplier who can make it for you with plastic, sheet metal, or other material. Stay local and low volume at first to minimize risk and tweak the design as needed. Once sales ramp up, you can scale up.
To market your product, start by selling it to your neighbors and friends, perhaps even at a discounted trial price, so that you can get testimonials. Then post the item to Ebay, while you also set up your website. Also don’t forget to hit local shops in your town. Hopefully, you can source it at a few bucks per piece and sell it at $20 or more.
With your momentum built, consider hitting DRTV (direct response TV), such as the QVC or HSN channels. If DRTV is a success, you will be ready to hit the mass retail channel customers such as Home Depot and Lowes.
It sounds too easy, doesn’t it? Do you remember the story of FlipFOLD, featured on the CNBC The Big Idea show with Donny Deutsch? Debbee Barker created a device so that her kids could help fold clothes. Starting with a simple cardboard prototype not long ago, Debbie and her products are now doing serious business globally, selling not only directly to consumers via her website but also to B2B customers in the apparel industry.
I can’t guarantee if the Yard Trash Bin Funnel will be a success like Debbee’s. But I am sure we can find more creative ideas that could help raking damp leaves in the autumn season, considering the amount of pain consumers feel every year.
Who Should Pursue This Startup Idea?
Anyone. You can even try it as a fun family project. If it does not work, it is OK. You had fun. If it works, you’ve got a new income stream that may be worth millions.
Comments for "Yard Trash Bin Funnel – Raking Leaves Made Easier"
03 Nov 2007 at 07:15 PM
This is a great idea Asako. And it really sounds like someone could start it up for a low cost if they could find someone to make these in small quantities initially.
I have read a lot about The Big Idea show, but I don’t think it is available in the UK yet. I will definitely be checking out Debbee’s clothes folding device though.
03 Nov 2007 at 09:16 PM
Hello Catherine,
I think a few of the Big Idea shows are available on YouTube (although they are not supposed to be available....). I like the ones that features these home business ideas. Many of ideas are so simple yet so good, and you will beat yourself “how could not I come up with that”.
But then, when I try to brainstorm simple ideas, actually it is hard to come up with one. It is easier to come up with a big, difficult and risky idea.... we are so used to what we do in our daily lives, it is sometimes difficult to just break out of our unconscious habits and find there’s another way. So I like these simple ideas as well.
08 Nov 2007 at 12:46 AM
Asako,
This would be sweet! I just finished raking leaves, and you are right...it’s a pain in the back.
This should be a simple idea to implement. Like you said, start with card board, until you have it right.
Isn’t “The Big Idea” a great show? I try to watch it regularly, and am amazed at how people make mega bucks with very simple ideas. To me, it’s very inspiring, although I haven’t come up with a “big idea” yet.
10 Nov 2007 at 01:34 AM
Hello Barbara,
Yes, I like the “Big Idea” show a lot. The other day, it was showing this egg white and yolk separator product. A ridiculous design and hilarious idea.
I am also still searching for “the” simple idea. One day, I just need to spend the whole day brainstorming through everything I am doing in the house, I think.
13 Nov 2007 at 01:02 PM
Hi Asako.
I don’t see any contact info on your site. I’d like to share a URL with you, but don’t want to spam your comments with it.
thanks
Erick B
19 Nov 2007 at 02:46 AM
Hello, Erik,
You definitely have an interesting site. (Ideablob.com) I look forward to following how your site is developing in the future!
21 Oct 2009 at 07:52 PM
Very innovative idea. We need this kind of things today.
10 Dec 2009 at 04:51 AM
This is very interesting. I think this is really a good idea. I hope this went well.
12 Dec 2009 at 08:31 AM
This is one of the great article i have ever read. Thanks for the sharing. Now i am looking forward your next article. Thanks.
16 Dec 2009 at 07:27 PM
Ya, I think this is a great project for family. Doing so will make us become closer each one. Thanks Asako.
18 Dec 2009 at 11:06 AM
I am just watching for your site now. I read so many comments and it’s really nice.
So I want to say that it’s really a good website for us to learn so many new things.
Even I just go for bookmark this page right now. And I also want to comment on your site. Now i am going to share this site with my all friends and i hope they gonna like this site with my all friends.
21 Dec 2009 at 10:12 AM
Get to know copulate information. It’s an extraordinary article thanks for intercourse. I was undiagnosed to this thing. Expectation to get much from you superficial looking forwards for your incoming article. Now i am looking forward your next article thanks for the sharing,
21 Dec 2009 at 11:17 AM
Get to know copulate information. It’s an extraordinary article thanks for intercourse. I was undiagnosed to this thing. Expectation to get much from you superficial looking forwards for your incoming article. Now i am going to share this site with my all friends and i hope they gonna like this site now whats you gone do…
23 Dec 2009 at 12:16 PM
Greatly written indeed. I really enjoyed your article and found it to be very informative, keep up the good work, I’ll be coming back to read any of your future articles.Now I’m going to shear this site with my all new friend’s and I hope they live this site.
02 Jan 2010 at 02:39 AM
Expectation to get much from you superficial looking forwards for your incoming article.Now i am looking forward your next article thanks for the sharing…
20 Jan 2010 at 08:41 AM
Starting with a simple cardboard prototype not long ago, Debbie and her products are now doing serious business globally, selling not only directly to consumers cartier watches
27 Jan 2010 at 03:09 AM
I am graduating with a BA in finance with a concentration in investments. I have excellent grades but the school isn’t at all prestigious enough to get me in a top investment firm.
offshore bank accounts
28 Jan 2010 at 10:29 PM
No. Gold bars are not a secure investment. In fact there is only one reasonably secure investment and even it is not as secure as it once was.myspace layouts
05 Feb 2010 at 03:11 AM
No. Gold bars are not a secure investment. In fact there is only one reasonably secure investment and even it is not as secure as it once was. That it T-bills.best forex
11 Feb 2010 at 09:13 PM
Start by selling it to your neighbors and friends, perhaps even at a discounted trial price, so that you can get testimonials. Then post the item to e Bay, while you also set up your website. Also don’t forget to hit local shops in your town.
13 Feb 2010 at 10:54 AM
To market your product, start by selling it to your neighbors and friends, perhaps even at a discounted trial price, so that you can get testimonials. Then post the item to Ebay, while you also set up your website. Also don’t forget to hit local shops in your town
15 Feb 2010 at 06:53 AM
like before the market opens in pre hours and during the day and continuous biggest movers on the boards.. nasdaq and nyse. thanksPimp Myspace
17 Feb 2010 at 05:29 AM
I just received Drop ship source an ebay gift certificate from someone in my email and it says I have to pay with paypal and when I check out after I buy an item on ebay, I can enter my gift certificate through paypal and then pay but I don’t see an option. How do I use my ebay gift certificate through paypal to pay? Drop shipping wholesalers
17 Feb 2010 at 07:29 AM
You want to do a drop ship business. So that means the distributor you buy from will ship it directly to the customer. In this case you don’t buy the product until it is purchased from you. Online Tax Preparation
20 Feb 2010 at 10:25 AM
To market your product, start by selling it to your neighbors and friends, perhaps even at a discounted trial price, so that you can get testimonials. sober living