Crazy Business Ideas That Were Surprisingly Successful

Weird business ideas that made millions

These crazy business ideas defied the odds, logic, market expectations and even common sense, allowing their creators to get the last laugh – all the way to the bank. Here are some companies that turned a seemingly bad idea into a successful business model and made millions.

Ashley Madison

A dating website was nothing new when Ashley Madison debuted, but it came on the scene with a rather unique value proposition: It was marketed toward those already in a committed relationship. “Life is short. Have an affair” is the site’s slogan to this day.

While the concept drew heavy criticism and still does, no one can deny this business venture is a huge success. Ashley Madison has more than 70 million users worldwide. The company has generated both success and infamy, but this is clearly a case where controversy sells.

Beanie Babies

In 1983, when former aspiring actor H. Ty Warner opened his own toy company that manufactured small stuffed animals, he decided to “go big or go home” by investing pretty much every dime he had in it, including a $50,000 inheritance from his father. He called his first toys the Himalayan Cats, which quickly sold out in local stores, but he is best known today for creating the Beanie Babies line. What set Warner’s stuffed animals apart was the plastic pellets they contained instead of conventional stuffing materials, so the toys had a more lifelike and less stiff feel. His competitors thought he was nuts and compared his product to “roadkill.”

Well, that “roadkill” turned into a toy empire, partly because Warner never advertised his products or sold them in major chain stores like Toys R Us. This made the stuffed animals harder to obtain and thus more desirable. In addition, the Ty company would retire certain models after the initial stock run had sold out, making the few that were still in circulation prized possessions. Ty’s line created one of the most insane fad frenzies of all time.

Craigslist

Craig Newmark had an idea to conduct an online garage sale, so he created a simple website where strangers could list items they were selling or looking to buy. Not much about Craigslist has changed since then. It even has the same basic font and layout from when it launched. But there are some significant differences: What started as a seemingly silly and even rudimentary way of making purchases and trading belongings online now has over 140 million monthly visitors and is available in more than 70 countries.

Crocs

Ugly, rubbery shoes for the masses – who would have thought this idea had legs? Crocs (the spa shoe meets clog) was hatched by three friends from Boulder, Colorado, who, for some reason, were intrigued by the marketable possibilities of a spa shoe made for comfort. They found the right material in a squishy foam resin called Croslite and eventually grew big enough to acquire Foam Creations, the Quebec-based company that manufactured this new shoe. [Interested in unique fashion? It might not be a bad idea to start your own clothing store.]

Now the shoe is the awkward moment of footwear, and the company is in on the joke, playing up the ugly factor in ad campaigns. It’s happy being mocked – all the way to the bank. Simply put, if the ugly shoe fits (and feels good), people will wear it.

I Can Has Cheezburger?

The concept of creating ridiculous captions for absurd animal photos began with a photo of one very fat cat and ended with Eric Nakagawa and Kari Unebasami becoming millionaires. Their original goal? To share a chubby cat picture with as many people who cared to see it. The domain name icanhas.cheezburger.com came from the caption they wrote for the feline: “I can has cheezburger?” A series of follow-up photos about the fat cat obtaining a cheeseburger followed, and soon fans began submitting their own creations. In 2007, Nakagawa and Unebasami sold the site for $2 million.

iFart App

Here’s a half-assed, half-a-million-dollar idea that came from the mind of Joel Comm: He squeaked out the iFart, a whoopee cushion app for iPhones. Want to know what’s even crazier? He thought people would pay $1.99 for the app.

And the absolutely insane part of all this? Comm was right. Hate on it all you want, but the app has been buzzed about all over the media, and pranksters everywhere love the variety of flatulent noises it features. The app has even ranked in Apple’s all-time top 20, according to its product page.

The takeaway here? People will pay for stupid – no ifs, ands or buts about it.

Airbnb

In 2007, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were trying to figure out how to make ends meet. After successfully renting out an air mattress in their San Francisco apartment, the idea for Airbnb was born. While vacation home rental was already a well-established industry, the concept of renting out space in someone’s home and then sharing it with them was completely new.

Their idea was met with a lot of resistance at first. Paying to sleep in a stranger’s home with them just down the hall seemed preposterous and no one wanted to invest. But then the Great Recession hit and suddenly Airbnb wasn’t just a great way to save money while traveling; it was also a way to earn additional income, especially for recent graduates struggling to pay rent. Fast forward a few years and Airbnb has become a juggernaut, reporting more than five million hosts on the platform and over $11 billion in revenue in 2024

Peloton

An instructor-led bike class in your home? Consumers laughed at the idea of purchasing expensive equipment through which fitness professionals would supposedly guide them through a grueling workout. Why go through the hassle when bike studios like CycleBar and SoulCycle were everywhere? But while some thought the days of clunky home exercise equipment were left in the ’80s, Peloton sought to change the game – and did.

With gyms closed and people confined to their homes at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers began turning to Peloton to meet their fitness needs. Peloton adapted its marketing strategy for the COVID-19 era, and as a result, customers found the company’s exercise bikes available for purchase with affordable monthly plans and enjoyed an app with high-quality classes rivaling any gym’s offerings. Mock it all you want – nothing beats at-home convenience.

Pet Rock

After a night out in a bar listening to friends complain about their pets, Gary Dahl joked about preferring to keep a rock. The crack turned into a successful business idea, and although the initial craze died quickly, Dahl sold millions of Pet Rocks and became a multimillionaire. Luxury stores like Neiman Marcus even featured the product. Dahl died in 2015, but his invention lives on. Pet Rocks can be purchased on Amazon today, and one was even featured in the 2022 movie “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” In other words, you could say this business idea ultimately rocked.

Snuggie

The Snuggie – a blanket with sleeves – has pulled in more than half a billion dollars since becoming a viral sensation more than a decade ago. Allstar Innovations, the direct-response marketing company behind the cozy offering, has sold more than 35 million Snuggies since 2008. Allstar is still thriving with the blankets and a host of other “As Seen on TV” products, like Snuggies for dogs, Snuggies for kids and Snuggies personalized with sports team and college logos. The buzz has even led to Snuggie pub crawls, Snuggie mockery clips on YouTube and a lot of gag gifts.

Humor is the selling strategy that made the Snuggie a star. As it turns out, not taking yourself too seriously can result in some serious business.

How to know if you have a bad business idea 

Consumer appetites take twists and turns. What we deem useless right now might be next season’s bestseller, thanks to a product’s novelty, fun factor or sheer stupidity. But not all original business ideas are going to connect with shoppers. Here are some signs your business idea might not work:

Explaining your idea is a challenge. 

A successful business concept should be concise and easy for the audience to understand. If you’re unable to articulate your idea clearly, it will likely be difficult for the market to grasp. “If multiple people struggle to understand the value proposition, it might be a sign that it’s not the right idea or you need to clarify it a bit more before you put money into it,” explained Bryan Cohan, CEO of Opn Communication.

Your idea leaves you feeling uninspired. 

When it comes to a business venture, nobody should be more passionate than the entrepreneur behind the idea. If you find yourself feeling uninspired or disinterested, reconsider before moving forward with the business. “If you’re not emotionally connected to the problem you’re solving, chances are no one else will be either,” said Niamh O’Donnell, director of programs of Unusual Ventures. “Passion for the problem is your first signal. A weird idea isn’t a bad idea — unless it solves a problem no one actually cares about.”

People aren’t buying your idea. 

Good ideas garner enthusiasm from others. If you’re struggling to secure support for your concept, the lack of buy-in may be an indicator that your idea is a bust. A great way to find out if people are willing to pay is to generate interest even before your idea is fully developed. 

“We usually point founders in the direction of creating a lightweight marketing site and waitlist as early as possible,” said Caitie Sfingi, founding partner of Merakite. “Bonus points if you can capture a small monetary commitment for things like paid early access. It’s just another level to actually measure your target audience’s interest and intent.”

Your idea doesn’t solve a problem. 

For people to spend money on a product or service, it has to meet a real need or solve an actual problem. If there is value in your idea, even if only for a niche group, you might be onto something. Start by getting a feel for the people your idea will help. 

“One person’s weird might be another person’s perfect solution,” said Milly Barker, founder of Pay As You Go COO. “You’re only going to know that you’ve found enough ‘perfect solution’ people to make a profit by learning as much as you can about them and the problem they have.”

How to get feedback on your business idea

The best way to know if you have a viable business idea is to get feedback from others. Here are a few places to start:

Ask someone who has market experience. 

Successful business founders and leaders in similar fields to yours can tell you if your idea is scalable or if it needs reworking. Seek advice from professionals in your industry by sharing details about your business. While not all experts may be open to having a discussion, those who are can provide great insights. 

“Before we formally launched, we built out our vision and ran it by a few key friends in different parts of the industry to validate our thinking, challenge our approach and refine our final concept,” said Raquel Braun and Lagen Nash, co-founders of Mulier Fortis. “Getting that feedback before publicly launching our business was invaluable.”

Listen to your potential customers.

The best way to know if your idea will sell is to go right to the source: the people who are likely to pay for it. Start by identifying your target audience and then create a conversation. 

“Listen to their problems rather than pitching your solution and asking what they think,” Barker said. “No one is going to tell you to your face that it’s a dumb idea, even if it is. Only once you’ve truly understood how that person is suffering can you start to assess if what you’re building is going to fix it.”

Take to social media. 

One way to get feedback from potential customers is building a social media presence to attract your would-be target audience. You can visit online forums to discuss and tease your proposed business. You’ll likely get bluntly honest feedback. If no one is engaging in a conversation on the topic or you don’t feel compelled to talk about it, you probably have a bad business idea.

“Join subreddits or groups on social media platforms,” Barker recommended. “There isn’t an AI-powered, algorithm-based, automated tech solution in the world that can replace speaking to real people.” 

Explore different funding avenues. 

Small businesses have numerous funding outlets they can access, from angel investors to crowdfunding campaigns. However, if all of these avenues are coming up dry, this could be an indicator of a bad business idea. 

How to pivot when a business idea isn’t working

Ready to ditch your bad business idea? You’re in good company. Many big-name companies initially pursued different directions before discovering their true calling, for example the Slinky was originally designed for navy warships before becoming a beloved toy.

Pivoting requires a reevaluation of a business’s model, product and target audience to redefine its value proposition. This strategy switch-up is useful when a business fails to reach its target market or achieve success; however, it is a drastic measure that should be carefully considered. [Read related article: How to Rebrand Your Business]

“There’s no playbook for when to change course, but if your gut’s telling you it’s not working, listen to it,” said Joe Camberato, CEO of National Business Capital. “Focus on delivering real value to your customer. That might mean shifting directions or solving a problem they don’t even know they have yet. But whatever you do, don’t stay stuck just because you’re attached to your first idea.” 

Here are some tips for successfully pivoting your business (if needed): 

Determine whether you truly need to pivot. 

Can the production process be improved? Do you need to raise more capital? Is the marketplace too crowded? Before heading in a different direction, determine whether the idea should be abandoned altogether or if there’s potential for your product in the market with some improvements.

Consider the alignment of your product and marketing strategy. 

If your business isn’t where you want it to be, it may not be your product that needs tweaking; it could be your marketing strategy. If you believe in your idea, create a business marketing plan with new tactics to see if you can improve engagement.

Assess your idea honestly. 

Carefully consider where your original idea may have gone wrong, and use that knowledge to guide you to a better one. Although you may have emotional ties to your initial idea, it is essential to seek feedback from others and critically evaluate your own perspective to avoid investing in an idea that lacks viability.

Pick a goal and direction for your new idea. 

Redefine your idea by setting new goals for its success. Develop a business growth plan for your revamped concept, identifying your target market and outlining the benefits and value it will bring to the market. Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective to discover goals that lead your idea to success. This was how Netflix transformed itself from a DVD rental service into a billion dollar company, explained Amir Barsoum, founder and managing partner of InVitro Capital. 

“Recognizing the changing landscape of technology and consumer behavior, they pivoted boldly to streaming video,” Barsoum explained. “This shift dramatically transformed Netflix, helping it become a global leader in entertainment streaming.”

Don’t start from scratch. 

Deciding to pivot doesn’t mean you have to toss everything you’ve worked so hard to create. Instead, you can apply assets and what you’ve learned from your previous experience toward your new vision. “Pivoting is one of the most crucial yet underrated entrepreneurial skills,” Barsoum said. “It doesn’t mean throwing the baby out with the bathwater; rather, it’s a disciplined process of experimentation — adjusting one variable at a time. Keep what works, discard what doesn’t, rinse and repeat.” 

Thomas Anziano and Traci Cox contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.