Family Handyman
For those of you who read the book I put together (Dead Simple Business Ideas), you’ll likely recall the garage shelf guy I wrote about.
He’s the guy who built some super simple shelves for those black storage bins with the yellow lids that every family seems to have a glut of.
But he didn’t stop there.
He took a few pictures of what he built and started advertising on Facebook Marketplace to see if anyone else wanted shelves built.
Fast-forward a few years and the dude now makes his full-time income building these shelves for people—and teaching other people how to do the same thing.
(The classic path: learn a thing, get good at a thing, then start teaching other people how to do the thing.)
…
Today, I have a fresh issue of Family Handyman Magazine sitting in front of me.
And I’m wondering how many sneaky little business ideas are just lurking in these pages, waiting for someone with a creative and perceptive mind to spot them and actually act.
So I’m going to leaf through it right now and report back…
Alright…
This magazine is an absolute gold mine for ideas you could test.
After a super quick peruse, there were potential ideas on pretty much every page.
Concrete Crack Cut-Out & Repair
This one showed the big, nasty crack you see in almost every garage floor that’s 20+ years old.
The article walked through the entire process, step by step:
How to cut out the concrete on each side of the crack
What to do to reinforce it before pouring
How to mix and pour the new concrete
How to smooth it
How to seal it
How to blend it with the existing concrete
Now ask yourself…
If someone has this issue in their own garage, what percentage of them are actually going to have the desire or capability to do what this article suggests?
My guess: about 2%.
But what percentage of them would like that crack gone?
My guess: about 98%.
So here’s the move:
If you’ve got a crack yourself, fix it exactly the way the magazine describes.
Take pictures and videos while you work.
See if it actually works.
Then post those pictures and videos on Marketplace.
Advertise something like “Concrete Crack Repair” (or “Fill Your Crack” if you’re feeling bold).
Pick a price.
$500?
I don’t know—just pick something and see what kind of response you get.
That wasn’t even the best one, though…
There was also a super modern-looking ottoman (my wife would love it) that you can build in a couple of days for about $150.
This is the kind of thing you see in a furniture store for $300–$400.
You could knock this thing out straight from the magazine.
Build one or two.
Take some pictures.
Post them on Marketplace.
Pretty straightforward and boring, right?
I won’t bore you with every single idea that popped into my head—I get them all the time, and most are probably garbage.
But that’s the point.
The more ideas you come up with, the more likely it is that one of them actually has legs.
If only 2% of ideas are any good, how much more likely are you to land a good one if you come up with 200 ideas instead of 2?
You don’t even get out of the sub-1% decimals until you hit around 50 ideas.
Anyway… onward.
SMELLS BE GONE
If you live in a house full of people like I do, certain things start to stink for reasons unknown.
And I’m not talking about the toilet.
Washing machine
Dishwasher
Microwave
Refrigerator
Freezer (sometimes)
Oven
I don’t know why exactly, but sometimes you go to use one of these and catch the nastiest whiff.
You don’t know where it’s coming from or why it’s there.
And of course, it always happens when you’re scrambling to make dinner and leave for practice or youth group or whatever commitment you’re late for.
You don’t have time to source the stank.
This article showed all kinds of little tricks and remedies for finding and eliminating odors.
But I don’t have time to fill my freezer with charcoal and newspaper.
I don’t have time to pull the innards out of my dishwasher and scrub it with vinegar.
Do you?
And even if you do have the time… do you actually have the desire?
What if I…
The Stink Master
…came to your house once a year—or maybe once every six months—and I:
Cleaned out and deodorized your pantry
Cleaned, deodorized, and sprayed out the filter in your dishwasher
Cleaned and deodorized your washing machine
Swept out your dryer exhaust
Cleaned, deodorized, and organized your refrigerator
Cleaned the inside of your microwave
(I sometimes avoid having people over out of fear they might open mine)Cleaned the inside of your stove
(Mine sets off the smoke alarm every time we use it)Cleaned, sanitized, and polished the glass door of your walk-in shower
Even as I write this, I’m ready to sign up.
This service would be AWESOME.
Even if you have a cleaning service, they don’t do this specialty stuff unless you ask—and when they do, it’s either an upcharge or it means something else doesn’t get cleaned that week.
I’m not sure what this service should cost, but I’d gladly pay $200–$300 every six months to have The Stink Master handle all of this.
If I’m a $400–$600 per year client, how many others like me exist in a local service area?
I’d guess enough to land 150–200 customers.
Let’s be conservative.
Two cleanings per year at $250 each × 150 customers = $75,000 per year in top-line revenue.
That’s about 6 cleanings per week.
If you’re good, I’m guessing each one takes about half a day.
So if you’re aggressive, you’re done in three days—and have four days left to read Family Handyman.
Or…
You hire someone to do the work and spend your time building the client base up to 250–300 customers.
How about this homepage copy?
Deep Cleaning for the Places Odors Hide
Dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, fridges, pantries, and more—professionally cleaned, deodorized, and reset.
We Kill the Smells You’ve Learned to Live With
Pantries. Appliances. Filters. Vents.
The gross stuff nobody cleans—until The Stink Master shows up.
Your House Smells Fine… Because You’re Used to It
We deep clean and deodorize the hidden stink zones your guests notice and talk about on the drive home.
Not a Maid Service. A Smell Reset.
We don’t wipe counters.
We eliminate the smells that make your house feel “off.”
The Annual Deep Clean Your Home Actually Needs
A once- or twice-a-year service that removes buildup, bacteria, and odor from the most ignored parts of your home.
Summon The Stink Master
(A Ghostbusters-style character here would be incredible.)
We Handle the Gross Stuff Your Cleaning Lady Doesn’t Have Time For
Deep cleaning and deodorizing for appliances and spaces your regular cleaner isn’t equipped to handle.
I’m truly on a roll here, aren’t I?
Anyway… just spitballing, per usual—but you get the drift.
This is a business idea.
We just don’t know how good it is until it’s tested.
Alright, enough for today.
— Kurt