7 crazy startup ideas that were so wild they almost had us fooled

Revenge, they say, is best served cold.

But the folks at DRF believe that “revenge is a dish best-served florally”! A Los Angeles-based company, DRF, short for Dirt Rotten Flowers, does exactly what the name suggests – send an elegantly packed box of dead, stinking flowers. Now whether the gift is sent to an ex-boyfriend or meant to be an April Fool’s prank for your friend, that call is yours.

As crazy as it might sound, Dirty Rotten Flowers is an actual, real business (at least the testimonials on their website suggest so), making money off what many would call an absolutely whimsical idea. And guess what, they are not alone. There are several others like them in the market, thriving and making big bucks – some as high as a six-figure salary – all while shopping a crazy idea, solving an unusual problem, and catering to a unique audience. ­­

After all, “the day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea”. And we, at YourStory, are a strict believer in this theory. That’s why we have gone through all the rabbit holes online to find this bunch of startups that started out with a weird and whacky idea. 

Potato Parcel

When founders Riad Bekhit and Alex Craig appeared with their Potato Parcel idea before the panel on ABC’s Shark Tank, little did the investors know that they meant business. But the truth is they were dead serious. In fact, even before the two had Kevin O'Leary’s backing, they had sold more than 12,000 potatoes. Their business is simple: they send potatoes with customised messages to people. From heartwarming notes to sassy puns, like “if only you knew how MASH you mean to me”, just spell it out and they will get it done for you.

What the best part is that for every potato sold, Potato Parcel donates one to those in need. Wonderful, right?

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Startup Chauffeur

It’s all in the name!

When one window closes, the door to a swanky-a** car opens. At least that’s what happened with Ivan Cardoso, Founder of Startup Chauffeur, who pivoted towards this idea after his travel startup failed to take off. Having realised that they were not “the right team” to execute the travel idea, Cardoso came up with Startup Chauffeur.

“I am the Startup Chauffeur and I pick up inspiring startup founders who will answer your questions,” their Facebook page explains. The Luxembourg native literally chauffeurs a car around, asking all your questions to a new entrepreneur in each new episode.

Oyehappy.com

Surprises and happiness are at the heart of this startup. Can it get any better? Hyderabad-based Oyehappy plans, stages, and executes surprises for your loved ones. Whether you want to go all out and pop the question to your SO in a movie theatre or hide inside a giant box and shock the daylights out of your friend, Oyehappy has got your back. They also customise gifts for special occasions and events. As Varun Todi and his cousin Harshvardhan Khemani, say, “We started Oyehappy as an experiment, and later shut down our ad agency as we were doing pretty good business.” 

Also Read: Hyderabad-based Oyehappy helps you surprise loved ones

My Fake Relationship

Before the name gets your tongue wagging, let’s set the record straight. The idea is all platonic and there’s no funny business behind the scenes. My Fake Relationship, as the name suggests, lets you hire a plus-one for dates and events. Now these events could be anything, from a wedding (where you would probably not want to go alone) to a work function. “Just select the person of choice, the number of hours your event will be, and provide us with your details so we can organise it with you,” MFR’s website explains.

Thought up by Sydney-based Hanisa Mohamed, this idea might sound bizarre, but we all can do with some (platonic) company at times. Isn’t it?

Blogmint

How fabulous would it be if you get paid to tweet? Well, don’t squint your eyes at us; we know it’s all a part of influencer marketing. But then how many companies actually think this through to provide a platform where people with huge social media following can connect with brands, and shop their service? Blogmint, founded in 2015, is the answer to all your prayers. It helps brands identify a desired number of niche bloggers and engage them to create relevant content around the brand to meet their marketing objectives.

In short, if you are a social media star, this is something you would want to check out.

Also Read: Blogmint aims to help brands gain more ROI and influencers mint more money

Cuddle Up To Me

A startup that offers professional cuddling? Many of you might think, “That's not a thing.” Just like the people who told Samantha Hess that Cuddle Up to Me was a crazy idea. Started by Hess from an office in Portland, Oregon, the startup lets you book a session with a certified cuddler.

"We chit-chat, get to know them, we make sure we understand their consent and their boundaries, and they know ours," says Hess, explaining the core idea of Cuddle Up to Me.

Reserve A Spot In Heaven

“Even angels need a reservation.” No, we are not saying this but Greg who has availed the services of ReserveASpotInHeaven.com will testify to this.

For people who want to secure their heavenly afterlife, this Seattle-based company is nothing less than a miracle. It offers a complete package with travel kit, a heaven 101 booklet, boarding passes, and a reservation certificate to help you navigate your way with ease, post-death. Just in case your reservation is not accepted, they guarantee 100 percent money back.  

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