I think it's awesome that you're trying to find something for your mom. I am in a similar position so I'm curious on the ideas that users here can come up with.
Whatever she does, she should definitely do something she enjoys.
Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
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Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#42A month or so ago, Scott Adams of Dilbert fame came up with the idea, CloneMyVacation.com. My domain addiction made me buy the domain on the spot. If you think she is serious about doing something and think the idea is good, email me. Here is the post: http://www.dilbert.com/blog/entry/next_big_thing/
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#43It doesn't have to be travel related if that area is in a slump. She is likely experienced and talented in things relating to helping people, customer service, and marketing. So that opens many more doors for her. Good luck!
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#44A month or so ago, Scott Adams of Dilbert fame came up with the idea, CloneMyVacation.com. My domain addiction made me buy the domain on the spot. If you think she is serious about doing something and think the idea is good, email me. Here is the post: http://www.dilbert.com/blog/entry/next_big_thing/
cool. re-create Brad Pitts latest jaunt or Celine Dion's affluent retreat. or Tony Danza's staycation. :)
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#45One area where there is an obvious hole in the market imho would be catering for the disabled traveller. If she could provide a service whereby she could organise disabled friendly flights, assistance to and from the airport, guarantee accommodation would meet your requirements etc it would be a great load off the mind of those who fear travelling due to their disabilities. A "disabled holiday planner" effectively.
The same could be applied for people with eating allergies looking for accommodation.
And airlines that are peanut allergy aware - or whatever you'd call it.
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#46I'm going to throw in the suggestion that she look into Scentsy. http://seasonofscents.scentsy.us . Genuinely booming opportunity. Direct sales, yes. Actually pays, yes. If she works her existing contacts, she will be in business immediately. When my wife signed up I was pretty pessimistic but she has come to consistently out-earn me and this summer she took us to an all expense paid trip to Hawaii. Basically, all of the direct-sales companies have the same offer: work from home, income, incentives. Most of them, IMHO, don't deliver. Scentsy really has for us.
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#47So .. consider forigners who come to your country ... they face barriers of language, customs, etc. If your mom is multi-lingual (or can work with a translator), she could build a speciality service where she helps people of a specific set of foreign countries visit your country. Basically, help with hotels, local customs, etc. This isn't necessarily just an Internet-based business but can likely be done from home (u…
I like the idea of a virtual local guide, someone you can call while in a foreign country to help with language, directions, booking stuff. Just someone with reasonable local knowledge, both languages and the internet.
Have a look at http://tripbod.com who provide a service similar to what you are taking about. Tripbod are at the Launch Conference this week so may well be on pitching on stage at some point
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#48Combine travel with another one of her interests and make a DVD (a la "4 Hour Work Week"). For instance, if your mom is into wine, make a DVD of all the wineries in a certain region. It could include reference statistics that she could research. People that are going to travel there could use the DVD as a guide or load it into their cell phones as an app.
Do you have personal experience in doing information products? I'm really curious about pricing and sales for that kind of thing if you're willing to share.
Read the book "4 hour work week". He lays it all out step-by-step with links. It includes how to price and sell your item.
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#49If the sector is tourism, there's plenty of space for verticals. I have a client who has a ring of sites offerinf holydays for board sposrtsers: surf, kite, snowboard and the such. Sambeau suggested cyclists. Another idea could be: travel for families with children. Travelling with children can be hard, especially if the destinations are exotic and the children are small; so a website featuring advice on this topic might have an audience.
Re: Ask HN: what lifestyle business could I help to create for my mom?
#50I was having lunch with a friend the other day and we came up with an idea, but the person who took action would need to be a travel agent--which neither of us are.
We love the shows "Best Thing I Ever Ate" and "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" on Food Network. There are tons of foodies out there (like my friend and me) who would love to go on a tour of the restaurants from those shows. She could organize tours of a certain area of the country and the people on the tour could eat at two or three of the restaurants featured on those shows.