6 startup ideas from the tech Warren Buffett (make $120k/mo)

October 14, 2024

AI Summary

5 min read

Andrew Wilkinson, the founder behind Tiny and a prolific acquirer of small internet businesses, returned to The Startup Ideas Podcast to walk through six concrete business opportunities he has been thinking about. The conversation is grounded in a specific philosophy: the goal for any new entrepreneur should be to build a business that generates $100,000 to $200,000 a year in profit. That first business is a "launch pad" — not necessarily the dream, but the vehicle that gives you the resources and credibility to pursue bigger things later. Most of the ideas discussed fit that mold: they are simple, capital-light, and leverage emerging trends or inefficiencies that incumbents have overlooked.

The robot lawn mower opportunity

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **The Goal: A $100k–$200k Launch Pad** - Andrew Wilkinson argues that the first real business goal is to build a cash-flowing asset that provides a launch pad for bigger ideas.
2 (02:00) **Idea #1: Robot Lawn Mowing as a Service** - Andrew identifies a huge opportunity in replacing human labor with robot mowers for the landscaping industry.
3 (04:30) **Two Business Models for Robot Mowing** - Andrew outlines a digital vs. a physical approach to the same trend.
4 (08:00) **Why a "Mediocre" Business is the Best Start** - Andrew explains why he loves simple, non-scalable physical businesses as a first step.
5 (10:20) **The Real Way to Do Affiliate Marketing** - Andrew shifts to discuss how to capture the advertiser's margin rather than taking a flat fee.
6 (13:20) **The Directory & Programmatic SEO Play** - Andrew reveals his current obsession: building curated directories and plugging in affiliate deals.
7 (16:00) **The Idea Gal/Guy & Funnel Gal/Guy Dynamic** - Andrew explains how he executes on ideas without doing the work himself.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Join me as I chat with Andrew Wilkinson, Co-Founder of Tiny, as we explore innovative startup ideas, and his frameworks for finding and building startups

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
01:55 Startup Idea 1: Robot Lawn-mowing Service/Directory
17:54 Startup Idea 2: CPAP alternatives for Sleep Apnea
26:24 Startup Idea 3: Computer Vision for Small Biz
32:03 Startup Idea 4: Negotiating as a Service
36:48 Startup Idea 5: Sperm Freezing Made Easy
42:50 Startup Idea 6: Community Building as a Service

1) Robot Lawnmower Revolution
• Buy robot mowers, geofence yards
• Start a mowing company with ZERO labor
• ROI beats solar panels (6-12 month payback)
• Opportunity: Review site for mowers (affiliate $$$)

2) Sleep Apnea Gold Rush
• Apple Watch can now diagnose sleep apnea
• 80-90% of cases undiagnosed
• Opportunities:
a) Buy sleep clinics
b) DTC alternatives to CPAP
c) App using Apple Watch data
d) Financing for CPAP machines
• Sleep tech is about to EXPLODE

3) Computer Vision for Small Biz
• Mount an old iPhone in your store
• Get heat maps, customer behavior insights
• Identify repeat vs. new customers
• Enterprise-level tech now accessible to SMBs

4) The Ultimate Negotiator
• Most employees HATE negotiating
• Idea: Outsourced negotiation for EVERYTHING
• Houses, cars, software, office supplies
• Take a % of savings

5) Sperm Freezing Made Easy
• Older fathers = higher risk of complications
• Current process is awkward and clinical
• Idea: At-home kit, ship back with dry ice
• ZERO Google Ads competition (for now)

6) Community Building as a Service
• EO/YPO Forum model: Monthly deep discussions
• Build trust, solve problems, forge friendships
• Opportunities beyond just business groups
• "Secular church" concept

7) Bonus: Undiagnosed Illness Detection
• Smartwatches can detect more than sleep apnea
• AFib, hypertension, stress/anxiety
• Huge market for early, non-invasive detection
• The future of healthcare is on your wrist

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