My partner just paid $14 to mail his son a message on a potato.
…and other sentences youll only hear from a hipster in the 21st century.
That sounds like a ridiculous purpose for a business, doesnt it?
But its real and it works!
He soon sold the business for $42,000.
Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week.
This is a long list, so dont get overwhelmed.
Go ahead and start now, but be sure to bookmark this post so you might easily return later.
Well keep it updated as offers changes or expire.
Doesnt sound so ridiculous anymore, does it?
If youre starting a business, heres why you shouldnt throw away your joke ideas.
Serious Businesses That Started As Jokes
Why is a potato-mailing business successful?
I can only speak for myself, but Id say its because its hilarious.
Potato Parcel isnt the only business to thrive with a satirical premise.
It isnt even the only successfulpotato-mailingbusiness.
What else can you ship through the mail for profit?
Turns out, a lot if youre willing to annoy a few (thousand) people.
Now thebusiness ships everythingfrom neverending musical cards to fart-scented candles to penis-shaped gummies.
Its sort of a cute way to be a huge jerk.
In 1975, creator Gary Dahlturned a bar conversationinto a booming business: the Pet Rock.
it’s possible for you to stillbuy a Pet Rocktoday get on it!
The holidays are coming, and what kidreallywants a Nintendo DS this year?
Business That are Way More Important Than They Were Meant to Be
Its not just about pranks.
Some businesses started on a lark and grew into empires that have changed our cultural conversation.
The Herald even called LOLcats a fad.
Huh stepped down last year, as the venture-backedcompany was reaching profitability.
The joke took off, though.
Savage set aside the contempt part of his advice and launched a career as an expert in sexuality.
Readers appreciate his frank and often snarky approach to relationship advice.
Over 25 years, Savages success has generated apodcast, multiplebook dealsand the activistIt Gets Better Project.
It was a very college-boy thing to create, a real blockhead move when you think about it.
Alas, it did.
The funniest part of this joke is Facebook doesnt create any of the content I just mentioned.
Thats a tech or media company with amarket valuation of $350 billion-with-a-Btoday.
Your Turn: Can you think of other giant businesses that were started as a joke?
Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Ask one of these companies to help…
