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Ridiculous Small-Business Plan Encouraged By Friends

theonion.com

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Re: Ridiculous Small-Business Plan Encouraged By Friends

#21

Post by SingAlong »

SingAlong wrote: post #7

She needs 4000% growth in sales by year end to remain in business. And I wouldn't be surprised if it grows by 8000%. God! Look at the way Karen Sabin speaks. The love and passion for her dream is clear in her statements. This woman is going to make it big. And I'm sure she's soon going to be the poster-woman of every business magazine very soon. Enormous passion! I bet she'll even easily crush Google if there's somet…

Ouch! I didn't notice that the article dates back to October 29th, 2003.

@ordinaryman: thanks for pointing that out. I liked the story so much that I had just made up my mind to make an online store for her for free once my exams are over(I was searching the contact details of her business).

Anyways, I did some googling only to see onion and entrepreneurs.com pages talking about her. Nothing much.

But I pray she's doing good in business. I hate to see enthusiastic people, so passionate about their dreams, giving it up. If she's still in business I would like to see her in the headlines soon.

Re: Ridiculous Small-Business Plan Encouraged By Friends

#22

Post by silentbicycle »

SingAlong wrote: post #21
SingAlong wrote: post #7

She needs 4000% growth in sales by year end to remain in business. And I wouldn't be surprised if it grows by 8000%. God! Look at the way Karen Sabin speaks. The love and passion for her dream is clear in her statements. This woman is going to make it big. And I'm sure she's soon going to be the poster-woman of every business magazine very soon. Enormous passion! I bet she'll even easily crush Google if there's somet…

Ouch! I didn't notice that the article dates back to October 29th, 2003. @ordinaryman: thanks for pointing that out. I liked the story so much that I had just made up my mind to make an online store for her for free once my exams are over(I was searching the contact details of her business). Anyways, I did some googling only to see onion and entrepreneurs.com pages talking about her. Nothing much. But I pray she's do…

It's the Onion.

Re: Ridiculous Small-Business Plan Encouraged By Friends

#24

Post by coglethorpe »

rhiltd wrote: post #2

I was studying marketing when the 'super premium pet food' segment was invented. The idea that dog and cat were prepared to paid $US 3 per 4oz can of food was amazing. At the time the best steak or fish was about $7 /lb This could be a multimillion dollar company.

http://www.google.com/search?q=gourmet+dog+biscuits

About 350,000 results!

Not all ideas are bad, just because they didn't follow an MBA's market research. The guy that invented the super soaker came up with the idea while doing some plumbing in his bathroom. It took him years of determination to see it to success -- it's those years of determination that make the difference.

Re: Ridiculous Small-Business Plan Encouraged By Friends

#27

Post by Tichy »

sdfx wrote: post #17
Tichy wrote: post #3

I think this could actually work. I'd say it would most probably work.

It's not the idea per se thats bad. There are a number of stories on YC which point to this problem: Most ideas are nothing without execution. (most recent: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=237096 )

Sure - dog food is not an area I ever felt much like getting involved with. But for some aspiring mom in the suburbs it might be just the thing. A lot of people love their animals more than their fellow humans, so the money would definitely be there.

In fact TV advertisement for dog food is already going the gourmet route, which is disgusting. I remember an ad where the icky meat heap was decorated with a thyme leaf.

Re: Ridiculous Small-Business Plan Encouraged By Friends

#29

Post by Tichy »

davidw wrote: post #11
cia_plant wrote: post #4

it's a funny headline, but the business idea seems completely plausible.

The idea seems plausible, but is it something that some random person at home can execute on? The numbers didn't look good.

I guess as soon as the orders start piling in, she could just knock on her neighbors doors and ask them for help baking biscuits?
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