Worst Business Ideas (a Reddit episode)

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In today's episode, we'll cover: business ideas that failed and key vocabulary terms related to success and failure in business.

Today's episode highlights some funny stories about the worst business ideas ever witnessed. Thanks to Ask Reddit, we were able to get some stories from users. We can't verify if these stories are true, but they sure are entertaining. Pause and think about your next business idea before jumping in blindly.

Weak Printer Ink

One user worked at a place that supplied printing companies with ink. With digital printing being the norm, there wasn't a lot of business. With intense competition, the technician at this company came up with the bright idea to weaken the company's ink, hoping that customers would have to buy more of it to complete their jobs. However, the customers didn't like this ploy and, instead, went to competitors. The business eventually closed within a year.

The Banana Pudding Store

On the other hand, there's the Banana Pudding Store. It was assumed there would be other flavors of pudding offered at this store. However, the store sold only one flavor: banana pudding. Despite the store's unique, niche concept, it didn't last long and was closed within a few months.

Brick and Mortar Craigslist

Finally, there was a guy who opened a brick-and-mortar version of Craigslist or newspaper classified ads. It was located in a mall with bulletin boards that you could pay to put an ad up on. Unfortunately, the store wasn't in a high traffic area, and customers had to maneuver through a busy intersection, park and come inside to look at the bulletin board. To make matters worse, the store owner couldn't even obtain a sign permit, which he subsequently blamed for the business's failure. This guy should have done his market research before putting up the money to start such a unique yet unsuitable business.

These stories show us how important it is to do thorough market research before starting a business. If you're planning on starting a business, don't be like these individuals who didn't do their homework.

Let's go over some key vocabulary terms to make sure that we're on the same page before we dive into the next stories.

The first term is "well and truly established." This phrase means that something has been around for a long time and has proven itself to be successful. For example, a business that has been operating for over a decade and has a large, loyal customer base can be considered well and truly established.
Next up is "competition between suppliers." This term refers to the rivalry that can exist between companies that are providing similar products or services. For instance, two coffee shops located across the street from each other might engage in competition between suppliers to attract more customers.
Now, let's talk about "to weasel your way into something." This means to sneak or worm your way into a situation or group, often in a deceitful or underhanded way. For instance, someone might weasel their way into a party they weren't invited to by pretending to know someone there.
Moving on to "bright idea." This is a simple phrase that refers to a new and innovative idea that has the potential to create positive change or make something better.
"False advertising" refers to the act of making false or misleading claims about a product or service in order to entice customers to buy it. This is illegal and unethical.
The term "brick and mortar store" refers to a physical retail store that customers can visit in person, as opposed to an online-only business.
"Bulletin boards" are typically found in public spaces and often used to post notices, advertisements, or other types of information for others to see.
A "high foot traffic location" refers to an area where many people pass through on foot regularly. This would be an ideal location for a business that wants to attract a lot of customers.
Finally, "the business went under" means that a company has failed or gone bankrupt and is no longer operating.

If you're interested in exploring this episode and discussing business ideas while improving your English at the same time, then you're in the right place! You'll be happy to know that we have the full transcript available on our website, Lingua Habit dot com.

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