Welcome to Ghost Business - where mediocre business ideas go to launch or die

This week's agenda:

• Park n Wash

• What Dall-E Thinks We Meant

• Viability Score

The Park n Wash

Have you ever bought a pallet of eggs? A cargo ship of wine? You must've had the $1.50 hot dog??... Of course I'm talking about Costco. The mega store where you can spend ONLY $500 and it feels like a good deal. 

Costco trips can take 1 to 3 hrs on average, often the cornerstone of your day. It's blocked off in the calendar. You make sure to have a snack before going, shopping hungry at Costco may put you into debt or at least put a serious strain on your relationships. The folks giving out samples are like angels in the desert of despair and hunger.

But I digress.

Costco is for busy families. While you shop in the store your car could be getting cleaned up. In comes the Park n Wash. 

This concept is not new. I've seen it many times in upscale parking garages and places with valet services. But it doesn't exist in the Costco parking lot. Sure you could go through the car washed before you go in, but who wants to wait in that line? Maybe you could get it washed after you shop but you're just trying to get the f🤬ck out of there by then.

So the wheels started turning 🛞 🔥 

What would this look like?

All you would need is water, soap, and a can do attitude! In fourth grade, I used to wash cars in my neighborhood to buy a razor scooter, so I'm kinda a domain expert here 😂 

As simple as a wagon with some flyers, all your offering is to clean peoples car while they shop. Check out what the nearby car wash charges and offer a 50% markup premium for convenience. 

Have a tiered service offering:

• Basic wash $

• Wax n more wash $$

• You can even throw in interior detailing $$$

Scalability:

• It wouldn't be a Ghost Business if it was hard! You could start this with less than $100; you would only need a wagon, a water source, some sponges and soap, and business cards.

• Take payment via zelle, venmo or square.

• Once you're a little established, set up relationships with the store managers. Offer to have designated days and times you will be there and to claim the furthest spots for washing cars.

• To get bigger, hire more staff for the same lot and expand to more stores in the area!

• Offer more services, wheel cleaning, interior detailing, sell air fresheners etc.

Viability: 

1 [building spaceships hard] to 5 [easy peasy]

Someone please start this, I need my car washed while I shop. This is easy weekend work to get started (and the most popular time for people to shop!)

The hardest part is approaching people in public, but once you've got your pitch down, you're golden.

Setting up relationships with store managers can be a slight challenge and when you get established and credible it only gets easier.

It's a great day to be great! Love, Mike