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3 Niche Business Ideas: AI Psychics, Creator-Owned VPNs & Guns with Soylent co-Founder John Coogan

My First Million

Tue Sep 19 2023



AI Psychics:

  • Idea for a business that uses artificial intelligence to provide psychic readings
  • AI algorithms can analyze data and make predictions about people's future based on patterns and trends
  • Can offer personalized advice, insights, and predictions to individuals seeking guidance

Creator-Owned VPNs:

  • Proposal for creators to have their own VPN service
  • Many creators promote VPNs in their content, so why not create their own brand?
  • Allows creators to have control over the privacy and security of their audience
  • Can generate additional revenue through subscriptions or partnerships with other brands

Guns & Ammunition Rollup:

  • Recognition of the enduring popularity of guns and ammunition in American culture
  • Opportunity to bring efficiency and optimization to the ammunition supply chain
  • Business idea focuses on acquiring existing ammunition companies and optimizing operations
  • Potential for growth as more people participate in hunting and shooting activities

Thoughts on Lifestyle Businesses vs. VC-backed:

  • Debate between the value of lifestyle businesses versus venture capital-backed startups
  • Argument that VC-backed companies have larger impact due to faster growth and scalability
  • Counterargument that lifestyle businesses offer greater independence, freedom, and personal fulfillment
  • Ultimately depends on individual goals, values, and aspirations

Impactful Ideas vs. Wealth Creation:

  • Discussion around pursuing ideas with significant impact versus focusing solely on wealth creation
  • Importance of choosing ambitious problems that align with personal skills and passions
  • Consideration of different financing strategies depending on the nature of the idea
  • Balance between financial success and making a meaningful difference in the world

Scam Telemarketing Job:

  • John worked for a scam telemarketing company that sold 2-inch clear tape
  • He found the job on Craigslist and showed up wearing a suit, thinking it was a professional job
  • His job was to call numbers from a list and read a script pretending to be from the shipping department
  • The script involved asking if they were still using 2-inch clear tape and offering to send another box with a Starbucks gift card
  • The company priced the tape at $500 per box, even though it cost them only $5 to produce
  • The conversion rate was high, and the company made millions of dollars from this scam
  • John quit after one day when he realized it was unethical, but many people stayed because they didn't know it was a scam or were afraid of losing their jobs
  • The company fired employees every three months to prevent them from spreading the truth about the scam

John's YouTube Channel and Podcast:

  • John started his YouTube channel during the pandemic out of boredom and as a way to have a voice as an entrepreneur
  • His YouTube channel is called "John Coogan" and features various topics such as geopolitics, breaking down businesses like Doug DeMuro's, and more
  • He also has a podcast called "Power Law" where he does deep dives on power law people and companies
  • Although he doesn't have much focus in terms of content, he enjoys creating videos that make people happy and allow him to meet interesting people