As you all know we started a Christmas lighting business three years ago and a landscape/architectural lighting business last year along with our inflatable business. Both lighting businesses are doing great and we are scheduled to light 110 houses this Christmas season. This got me thinking that since we are in so many "high end" homes (500,000.00+) what service could we add on that could add to our revenue stream.
Well here you go:
We are thinking of starting a company called "Here's the Scoop" - Beth thought of the name. For a weekly fee $25.00 - $40.00 per week we will send someone out to clean up the dog crap in your yard. Along with picking up we will apply a gypsum covering on the spots and deodorize the area. It would be a monthly fee $100-160 per month with a one year commitment.
I really appreciate your insight good and bad because that always triggers changes in the business model. I'll never forget Rob getting down and dirty with me over the Christmas model and he made some excellent points that I didn't think of. So come on guys fire away, I don't even mind the "cute" sayings that will come up here.

 

I am sure there are people out there that will pay for the service.

 

Maury, you are always thinking.....

We have a local NE guy who utilizes such a service. I'm not sure what he pays, (I'll find out and send you a PM) but he is quite happy to have someone else patrol his yard, and take care of the "land mines."

There are still people out there with money to spare and they may just be ready for such a service.

Hope you pay your employees well that's a dirty job. Maybe you can hire the guy from Dirty Jobs to give the pep talk before they head out into the world of poop?

 

I have a local guy on retainer who handles the poop problems in my yard. He's pretty cheap and for just meals and board does a good job. I'm sure he'd be willing to pass on his poopy tips to you. His name is Jim and he shares my address. Seriously, for folks who live in high end 'hoods and who own large dogs this would probably be a great service opportunity. We own scoopers and Jim mans them quite efficiently. There's nothing much worse than nasty piles of steaming poo just waiting to attract nasty flies and nice shoes.

 

Lainey!!!!! What a great idea! If this goes through this would be right up his alley.

 

I just saw a car last week that had that poop scooping business advertised on it. It's alive around here. I think gypsym is mined in the Cali desert. That wouldn't kill the grass, would it? I'm sure you've checked into that.

Another pet related business that people pay for is pet sitters. People come handle your pets while you're away. Feed, walk, clean cat box, etc. My sister always hires someone to live in her house while she's away, to take care of her two s. They go to work but come home to her house.

 

Patty is on to something here. Another avenue to explore, Maury. Our cat is a special needs cat. She needs prescription canned food and we can't leave her for an overnight as many cat owners can. We hate to put her in a kennel, so we have some friends who come by twice a day to feed her if we are away.

I pay them $15.00/day, which doesn't sound like much, but they live locally, and they don't need to spend more than 10 minutes in the house each time. They also bring in our paper and mail.

It's more expensive than a kennel, but the cat is much happier. She gets really, really pi$$ed if we bring her to the kennel.

 

Patty, little too much liability with that. I really don't want to send people into someone's house or even walk the dogs for fear of getting hit by a car or the dog running away.

 

$25. for the big dogs and $40. for the small dogs because they are harder to fine. Sounds like a great idea, it's like getting paid for going on an easter egg hunt!

 

I prefer the REAL chocolate Easter eggs.