Seven odd ideas bringing in the money

Ever wondered how to tell a friend they smell? Someone was bothered enough by the number of people who struggle to navigate this social minefield that they turned this problem into a business.

Or have you ever felt your love life is spectacular enough that everyone the world over should be able to read about it? Someone else saw the opportunity in pandering to people’s desire for fame.

The beauty of entrepreneurship is that you can build a business by solving nearly any problem a group of people are facing.

Hustle compiled seven businesses that were built off unusual problems in the hope that they inspire you to think beyond the normal to find your business idea.

MyFriendSmells.com

We’ve all faced that uncomfortable situation where a friend, family member or colleague has a body odour problem. But do you tell them and risk them hating you for your honesty, or do you leave them to find out from ulimwengu?

The good news is that you don’t have to suffer in silence as you wait for someone to step up and handle that odour situation. For the small price of $1.99 (Sh200), you can anonymously send your friend a cologne wipe in the mail.

The company assures you that you don’t have to worry about this loud hint encouraging them to ‘smell like a champ’ being traced back to you, as the package is untraceable.

YourNovel.com

If you’ve ever dreamt of being the star of your own romance novel, YourNovel.com has you covered.

The company gives you a number of options to choose from, with different themes, locations and the opportunity to add in details about your actual or fantasy life; whatever works for you.

It doesn’t come cheap at $49.95 (Sh5,000) for a paperback, with an additional Sh3,000 charged if you want to front cover to use your photo.

Wearable human remains

Losing a loved one is hard, and one company wants to help you hold on to them a bit longer.

While most families that opt for cremation keep the ashes of their loved ones in an urn that’s then displayed in their houses or offices, Purple Cloud Studio, an art glass studio, wants you to carry these ashes with you everywhere with wearable jewellery.

The company creates custom keepsakes using the ashes of beloved family members and pets. Michele Palenik, the artist behind this business, asks clients to ship her half a teaspoon of remains, which she then seals in glass pendants that can be worn around the neck, and bowls or paperweights, which are easier to carry around.

Snake massage

There are thousands of massage options available these days. In fact, you don’t even have to get a massage from a human being. The practice of using non-venomous snakes to help relieve tension and relax muscles and joints is a trend that’s gaining ground across the world.

Send glitter to your enemies

Are you angry at someone and looking for a passive-aggressive way to get back at them?

Why not send them glitter? Anyone who’s dealt with glitter knows how difficult it is to clean up. For that reason, some enterprising business owners offer services that ship glitter to your enemies or to friends you want to prank.

Shipyourenemiesglitter.com, for instance, allows you to ship an envelope-full of glitter to an address anywhere in the world at $9.99 (Sh1,000) and assures you the recipient will be finding it everywhere for weeks.

The invisible boyfriend/girlfriend

Tired of being asked about your relationship status, yet you’re single? You no longer have to constantly dodge questions from friends and relatives about why you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend; there’s an app to the rescue.

Invisible Boyfriend, and its partner service Invisible Girlfriend, can help you fool people into thinking you’re taken without forcing you to deal with the drama of an actual relationship.

You can customise your ideal partner, including their personality, likes and dislikes, and come up with a story on how you met.

Once you’ve registered this on the platform, you can then begin to interact with them via text messages, which you can show your nosy friends as evidence of your relationship.

The full service, which includes 100 texts and a personalised postcard, costs $24.99 (Sh2,500) a month.

Professional wedding guests

Can’t raise enough people on the guest list for your upcoming nuptials? There are services that will help you hire professional wedding guests to fill seats at your wedding or similar events. It works similar to those hustles in the village that provide professional mourners for funerals.