WORLDS WACKIEST FRANCHISES
The Franchise world is constantly evolving. Some are really clever, with loads of potential, but what we love best are the really whacky ideas – the dog-sitting service for people about to marry, the vibrating tele-presence robot baby designed for hugging during phone conversations, the beef jerky store – to name just a few. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with trying out new business ideas, no matter how whacky – that’s all just part of the spirit of entrepreneurialism. But franchises have to be based on tried-and-true business concepts, don’t they? Or do they? Here’s a random list of franchise concepts that are pretty out there, and we invite you to keep us updated on any other whacky franchises you come across.
Whacky Franchise #1: Hangover Heaven
“I don’t believe someone should lose an entire day to a hangover because they decided to relieve stress and have a good time. After experiencing a few bad hangovers in my lifetime, I decided to apply my skills and develop a treatment protocol that would take someone from a semiconscious, porcelain-hugging, hit-by-a-truck hangover to feeling like you’re ready to take on the world in less than 45 minutes. I think this is a major development in medicine and solves a significant problem for people who like to have a good time; especially here in Las Vegas.”
So says Dr. Jason Burke, the founder and president of Hangover Heaven, a bus that comes to you to deliver fast hangover treatment via IV. Just because it is currently only based in Las Vegas doesn’t mean there isn’t a city in the world where there wouldn’t be strong demand for the service. No doubt that’s the reason Burke’s next step is to franchise. We love his marketing – click here to view the TV commercial.
Whacky Franchise #2: Wild Bird Centers of America
This is the world’s largest system of franchised specialty bird feeding stores. Their marketing material claims that bird feeding & watching is a $4.7 billion industry….Go figure.
Whacky Franchise #3: Mattress Doctor
Demand can be a capricious thing. There wasn’t a demand for yo-yos until someone invented them, then demand took off but just as quickly disappeared. Who would have dreamed a few years ago that there would be any demand at all for dog washing or workplace massage services? But clever entrepreneurs identified a latent need, and after proving the business viability of these kinds of services, franchised them. The same thing happened in the case of former accountant Bryan Williams. He and his wife were researching ways to relieve her asthma when they came across businesses in Germany and the United States that removed dust mites and other asthma-inducing nasties from mattresses. “The more we looked at it, we found that no-one was doing it in the UK,” says Bryan. And a few franchise was born.
Whacky Franchise #4: SHE Sanitary Pad Franchise
This one sounds unlikely, but it actually fulfills a vital social need in African communities, where every year, around 50 days of school or work are missed by girls and women who don’t have access to sanitary pads, or can’t afford them. The alternative – mud, bark and rgs – are not only ineffective but dangerously unhygienic. Convinced that market-based strategies to social and health problems are a more effective long-term solution than donations,, an organization called SHE – Sustainable Health Enterprises – has started providing training and micro-finance to women wanting to manufacture and distribute low-cost sanitary pads made from locally-sourced raw materials. SHE has used franchising because the model can be replicated wherever there’s a need, enabling it to help more people faster while allowing franchisees to become financially self-sufficient.
Whacky Franchise #5: Mini-Franchises for Kids
Remember the “Lemonade 5 cents” stand in Peanuts cartoons? Americans, and to a lesser extent Kiwis, have always applauded and encouraged enterprise in their children. Now there’s a franchise that takes this way beyond lemonade stands. Florida-based FranChild provides children with a “Business in a Box” for an initial fee of just $79. The young franchisees can then order business cards, marketing materials and a range of products which they can sell to family and friends or, for the more ambitious, at markets and craft shows.
Whacky Franchise #6: Beef Jerky Outlet
We’re not fans of dried up bits of meat so we can’t see the appeal of stores selling, beef, lamb, wild game and even ostrich and kangaroo, but we’re told there are queues for it at the new American stores, especially during NASCAR and other major sports events.
Have you come across any unusual franchise concepts recently? We’d love to hear about them – and we’ll publish the details in future email newsletters and on our website.
Looking to franchise your business or business concept (whacky or not)? We can help you develop a franchise start-up.
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