3 Traditional Startup Ideas for 2018

People are always fixated on the latest tech craze or the newest invention, failing to see that majority of these don’t make for good, sound business.

Sure, we all want to be the next Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs, but the world doesn’t necessarily work that way. Sometimes, the best ideas are the ones that have already been tested overtime.

For example, McDonald’s wasn’t build on anything revolutionary. It was simply a burger place, albeit one done exceptionally well. Global brands like Starbucks, Hermes, Zara, Nike, Ogilvy & Mather and countless others are the same.

Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t take something new to change the world, it just takes a new way of looking at old things.

Still skeptical?

Here are some startup ideas that are just as brilliant as they are traditional. Now, this won’t land you a Nobel Prize or get you hailed as a pioneer. But, if what you’re looking for is a good, steady place to start a business, these four examples are definitely worth a second look.

Laundry

Now, there’s nothing sexy about laundry…unless, you’re doing it for Victoria’s Secret Angels, in which case, it doesn’t get any sexier than that. However, it does cater to a very basic human need. After all, who doesn’t need their clothes washed.

A laundry business isn’t complicated at all. In fact, you only really need to worry about two things: (1) your machines and (2) your location. Sure, there are a lot of nuances to running the business, but once you’ve nailed the basics, there’s little else to stress about.

Start by getting machines from good brands. Purchasing a commercial washer from Continental Girbau is a great investment that can last you years.

As a rule of thumb, never go cheap on laundry equipment. The better your machines, the more you’ll save in the long run–even if it doesn’t seem so in the present.

Graphic Design

Have an eye for design? You may just have what it takes to be a graphic artist.

It doesn’t take much to start. Apart from a laptop and some Photoshop skills, you should be able to attract clients right out of the gate. Just go on a freelancing site like UpWork or HubStaff and upload your portfolio.

Soon enough you’ll have work knocking at your door.

Hospitality

With the advent of booking sites like AirBnB and TripAdvisor, the hospitality business just got, err, more hospitable for new entrants.

Unlike before, when launching a hotel or bed and breakfast required heavy marketing and tons of PR, today you can reach audiences all over the world simply by uploading a couple of photos on a website.

Couple that with the growth of tourism and travel in recent years, and it looks like there’s a massive opportunity on your hands.

Just make sure you have an attractive place with the basic amenities. In fact, if you can offer a gym, various tours, or a laundry area with flatwork ironer (see: http://cgilaundry.com/), you should attract visitors from all over the world in no time.

Conclusion

It’s easy to get sucked into the glitz and glamor of startup culture. However, starting a business is more than just coming up with some newfangled idea or some revolutionary technology. Often, launching a startup requires steady thinking and sound practices–as do many of the business above.