What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#1

Post by arbuge » Wed, Feb 13, 2013, 5:47 PM UTC

Just throwing this out for discussion. It's not an entirely theoretical question. Assuming you could operate within the Venezuelan regime, that is. You might be able to pull this off if you stay small enough not to be noticed and nationalized.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/slideshow/2013-02-13/highest-cheapest-gas-prices-by-country.html#slide61

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#2

Post by benologist » Wed, Feb 13, 2013, 5:50 PM UTC

If you have to grossly limit your revenue to stay unnoticed by a hostile government then why bother?

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#3

Post by arbuge » Wed, Feb 13, 2013, 6:16 PM UTC

benologist wrote: post #2

If you have to grossly limit your revenue to stay unnoticed by a hostile government then why bother?

Keeping your revenue below $250m or so might be enough. Happened to HSBC and Chevron as I recall. I hardly consider that as a gross limitation given what most people on this site will realistically achieve.

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#4

Post by sharemywin » Wed, Feb 13, 2013, 6:20 PM UTC

What about the obvious one. Buy gas at 6 cents and sell it on the black market.

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#5

Post by arbuge » Wed, Feb 13, 2013, 6:47 PM UTC

sharemywin wrote: post #4

What about the obvious one. Buy gas at 6 cents and sell it on the black market.

This is actually done:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2008/07/venezuelans-...

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#6

Post by tagabek » Thu, Feb 14, 2013, 1:08 AM UTC

Anything that has any connection with transporting anything. That goes for all of the businesses that I can think of.

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#7

Post by KenL » Thu, Feb 14, 2013, 5:01 AM UTC

I'd give it away as an incentive.

Imagine you went a restaurant where as you ate, the valet not only parked your car, but filled it with ... for free. A 15 gallon fill-up would only cost 90¢, plus valet time. Bring on the carne mechada.

That, or something to do with cheap explosions.

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#8

Post by shail » Thu, Feb 14, 2013, 7:07 AM UTC

I would do my first startup in the airline industry :).

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#9

Post by joonix » Sat, Feb 23, 2013, 5:49 PM UTC

KenL wrote: post #7

I'd give it away as an incentive. Imagine you went a restaurant where as you ate, the valet not only parked your car, but filled it with ... for free. A 15 gallon fill-up would only cost 90¢, plus valet time. Bring on the carne mechada. That, or something to do with cheap explosions.

But if gas was widely available at 90c per tank, it wouldn't be a big deal. People don't flock to restaurants now because they give free tap water.

Re: What startup ideas might work if gas was $0.06 per gallon?

#10

Post by KenL » Wed, Feb 27, 2013, 9:11 PM UTC

joonix wrote: post #9

KenL wrote: post #7

I'd give it away as an incentive. Imagine you went a restaurant where as you ate, the valet not only parked your car, but filled it with ... for free. A 15 gallon fill-up would only cost 90¢, plus valet time. Bring on the carne mechada. That, or something to do with cheap explosions.

But if gas was widely available at 90c per tank, it wouldn't be a big deal. People don't flock to restaurants now because they give free tap water.

True, but there'd be a window where it was nice perk.

The first businesses to offer "free wifi!" or unlimited miles on a rental car had a first-mover advantage.