BUSINESS IDEA | STARTUP

Gym Gamification Platform 🏋️‍♂️

Weigh to go

Available Domain: Gymeasure.com

1. Problem/Opportunity❓

The Problem/Opportunity: Going to the gym can be super tough. It’s a special place where germs thrive but self confidence goes to die. But it still beats the hell out of training at home…

But there’s one thing that keeps all gym bros and fit chicks super motivated - competition. Everyone secretly wants to know how strong they are relative to everyone else in their gym. I certainly do. So let’s build a platform around this exact premise.

Market Size: The global gym management software market size was valued at $13bn in 2024

2. Solution ✅

The Idea: QR codes attached to gym machines allowing gym members to record their sets/reps and see how strong they are relative to other members

How it Works:

• A gym signs up to the platform and attached QR codes to the sides of the machines in the gym

• Gym goers can scan the QR code and are prompted to create their profile

• Once a user has signed up whenever they scan a QR code they can record their sets, reps and weight they lifted on that exercise. The platform can also contain instructive videos on how to use a particular machine

• Users can then see how strong they are relative to other gym goers who are the same age and have the option to be added to a public leaderboard to compete with other gym goers

Go-to-market: Start with a few local gyms in your town to test out the tech, then expand from there. You could also white label this software and sell to large gym chains too.

Business Model: Charge gyms a monthly fee per connected machine

Startup Costs: You could start this business for a tiny amount of money

3. How You’ll Get Rich 💰

Exit Strategy: Sell to a large gym equipment business, like, or a large gym software company like Glofox (acquired for more than $200m)

Exit Multiple: You could exit here for a 3x - 7x revenue multiple

TOGETHER WITH OMNISEND

Spend $1 → Earn $72

E-commerce is a game of money-in vs money-out. You spend $1 and make $2.The higher that ratio is, the more successful you’ll be.

So check this out…in 2023, for every $1 spent on Omnisend’s email & SMS marketing, merchants made $72!

We (Half Baked) want to work with brands that deliver for our readers (you). That’s why we asked Omnisend to work with us. They agreed.

Omnisend offers affordable, scalable pricing that grows with your business. From popups to newsletters & abandoned carts, 100,000 e-commerce brands are selling more stuff while paying less.

Use code HALFBAKED10 to get 10% off today.

(you won't get a discount for Omnisend anywhere else)

DRUNK BUSINESS IDEA

Robot Wars

The robotics market has seen incredible advancements in recent months, with Figure launching Figure 02 and Tesla ramping up its Optimus training program. But while everyone will be comparing the specs of these robots there’s a much more fundamental question…who would win in a fight?

Which is where robot wars come in. Watch the most advanced robots in the world battle it out for supremacy in the most primitive way possible.

You’re welcome Dana White.

JUST THE TIP

Trend 📈: Air Quality

We spend 90% of our time indoors and indoor air can be 2-100x more polluted than outdoor air. And people are starting to catch on. Check out the search volume for “airgradient”, a brand of open source air monitors. We’re betting this will be a massive trend going forward and lots of businesses will be built in the air quality space.

Business Ideas

• Air Quality Testing Kits: Produce and sell DIY air quality testing kits for home and office use

• Air Quality Insurance: Create insurance products that cover health issues related to poor air quality

THE MONEYSHOT

Turning $1,000 into $10m/yr from Selling Socks

Most business success stories revolve around some young coding whiz who builds an app and makes millions of dollars overnight.

But this former cyclist took just $1,000 and built a $10m/yr revenue business selling socks.

This is his story.

Growing up in Ontario, Canada Rob Fraser was a bit of a daredevil. His sport of choice was downhill biking, which I’m sure his Mom and Dad we’re delighted about.

But Rob loved the sport…and was pretty good at it. Throughout his teenage years and early twenties, he become one of the best mountain bikers in Canada.

But by 2014 he felt like he had maxed out his potential in mountain biking and decided to retire from the sport after dedicating 10 years of his life to it.

And like so many athletes before him Rob struggled after retiring.

He spent the next two years picking up random sports and struggling to fill the newly created hole in his life. So in 2015 Rob decided to go back to college with the goal of learning how to pursue a career in sports management.

And while in college Rob stood out from his classmates in one very specific way. His socks.

Rob was a huge fan of wearing bright, colorful socks, stemming from his cycling days when he had to wear standardized gear so wore colorful socks to stand out from his competitors. He was literally known as “the sock guy” in college.

This sparked an idea in Rob’s mind.

So in September 2016, despite having no previous experience in business, Rob made an initial order of 230 pairs of socks using his student loans and launched his sock business.

He founded endūr.

The company created colorful, high quality performance socks which customers loved.

The business grew steadily through paid advertising, by hiring brand ambassadors and through their affiliate program, which drives around 10% of their sales to this day.

The business kept growing every year and in 2022 they rebranded to Outway Socks.

By 2023 the business did $10m in revenue and to date has sold nearly 3 millions pairs of socks.

All of which proves that you don’t need an earth-shattering, incredible idea to start a business. Sometimes the simplest ideas are actually the best, and Rob’s story proves exactly that.

INFLUENCER IDEAS

#HalfBakedBizIdea

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