The Koerner Office – Episode #272

Title: 11 Business Ideas I’d Start If I Were a Beginner
Host: Chris Koerner
Date: February 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this idea-packed solo episode, serial entrepreneur Chris Koerner presents 11 of his favorite beginner-friendly business ideas for 2026. These ideas are affordable to start, offer real-world scaling potential, and draw from personal experience, online trends, and direct success stories he’s observed. Chris counts down from his “least favorite” (#11) to his #1 pick, with each idea grounded in pragmatic advice and actionable insights for listeners interested in side hustles, local services, AI tools, and import/export arbitrage. The tone is energetic, accessible, and motivational, with Chris urging listeners to take action and share the episode with friends who might be inspired.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

11. Wall Printing Service

Timestamps: 01:15–06:20

• Description:
  A service using large-format wall printing machines to create murals and custom designs on residential or commercial walls.
• Unique Selling Point:
  Hugely visual—perfect for short-form video marketing and “time-lapse” content.
• Market:
  Retail, office, industrial, warehouse spaces (Chris imagines even Amazon break rooms!). About 1.8 million potential business clients in the US.
• Startup Costs/Logistics:
  Finance the machine, minimal maintenance, charge by square foot/inch.
• Scalability:
  If you’re “the wall printer” in your city—even in places of 50k+ population—you can carve out a solid business.
• Memorable Quote:

  “I literally have had six to 10 people in my inbox in my DMs saying, ‘Hey, I started a wall printing business…I’m doing restaurants… Like, people are doing this and they’re finding success.’” (02:50, Chris Koerner)

10. Lawnmower Flipping & Import/Export Arbitrage

Timestamps: 06:22–13:40

• Description:
  Buy used riding mowers (especially John Deere) on Facebook Marketplace, fix them, and:
  • Flip locally for profit
  • Export to countries where they fetch a premium (e.g., Bolivia, where they sell for $6–7K)
• Research and Real Examples:
  Chris’s firsthand experience selling to someone shipping mowers to Bolivia. Multiple people flipping mowers at scale in the US (cites YouTubers like Noah, Matt Howe).
• Scalability:
  Possible to grow this into a high-income venture, even starting small and inefficiently.
• Memorable Quotes:

  “People are making a lot of money doing it.” (12:10, Chris Koerner)
  “It might take you many hours, but over time it will be [efficient]. And especially if you live in a Metroplex with over 500,000 people, you can scale this business.” (13:10, Chris Koerner)

9. Driftwood & LED Decor Business

Timestamps: 13:41–16:10

• Description:
  Handcraft decorative driftwood light fixtures with LED strips (inspired by a German entrepreneur making $100K+/year).
• Materials/Methods:
  Reclaimed wood, LEDs from Amazon, router, sanding/staining, DIY approach.
• Marketing:
  Visual content—short-form video of the process and finished product goes viral.
• Opportunity:
  High margins, little competition if executed locally.
• Memorable Quote:

  “If you like working with your hands, do this… Sell that. How do you find customers? Organic, vertical, short form video just like this one.” (15:15, Chris Koerner)

8. AI-Generated Video Content for Professionals

Timestamps: 16:11–19:20

• Description:
  Create social videos using AI tools (e.g., HeyGen), using only a professional’s headshot and their scripted instructions.
• Real Example:
  'Christie,' a mortgage broker, used AI videos to attract 10 new clients from just 10 low-engagement Instagram posts.
• Service Opportunity:
  Offer business pros video creation as a service—set up, produce AI content, and charge monthly.
• Value:
  The perceived authenticity and reach, even from small-follower accounts, leads to high-value client conversions.
• Memorable Quotes:

  “She got 10 new loan originations from these videos… That is very real money that she made with a $50/month tool.” (17:58, Chris Koerner) “If you don’t want to do it yourself, then offer this as a service… Charge $1,500 a month for 10 videos.” (18:30, Chris Koerner)

7. Car Seat Cleaning Pickup/Dropoff Service

Timestamps: 19:21–22:40

• Description:
  Specialized cleaning for children’s car seats—pickup, clean in bulk, drop off, minimal face-to-face time.
• Market Insight:
  Overwhelming demand; charging $50–$200 per seat, with low costs.
• Barriers/Opportunity:
  Unsexy, so little competition; parents value cleanliness (as per Jeff Bezos’s “people always want clean/fast/cheap”)—this will remain in demand.
• Potential Earnings:
  $80–$120/hour possible, $200K/year if scaled.
• Memorable Quote:

  “Do you want to start a business more than you want to avoid cleaning car seats? If so, then this is a great business for you because there’s a need for it.” (21:42, Chris Koerner)

6. Trash Bin Pressure Washing Service

Timestamps: 22:41–26:15

• Description:
  Clean household trash bins with a pressure washer; market directly in neighborhoods with guerrilla tactics.
• Marketing Hack:
  Place shiny flyers on bins just before trash collection, play catchy music, attach magnetic signs to your car, saturate the area with your presence.
• Startup Costs:
  Less than $1,000 for equipment.
• Potential:
  20 bins/day at $25 each = $500/day; recurring neighborhood routes.
• Memorable Quote:

  “Go to the neighborhood... slap [flyers] on these garbage bins... That evening you’re going to drive around blasting, ‘So Fresh, So Clean’ … with a big magnet advertising your bin cleaning services.” (23:02, Chris Koerner)

5. Two Food Stand/Farmer’s Market Ideas

Timestamps: 26:16–29:25

a) Chocolate-Covered Lay’s Chips

• Description:
  Set up a stand at a local farmer’s market or event; pour chocolate over Lay’s chips using a chocolate fountain, cool/fan it, bag it, and sell for a premium.
• Visual Appeal:
  Making the snack visibly in front of customers draws crowds and adds value.

b) Upscaled Hot Chocolate Cups

• Description:
  Torch marshmallow fluff on the rim of hot chocolate cups, add Oreo crumbles, and sell as a premium drink.

• Inspiration:
  Modeled after vendors in India, adapted for cold US climates (especially Utah).

• Earnings:
  Higher price points due to “show” and presentation.

• Memorable Quote:

  “Your only competitors are your doubts and fears.” (29:08, Chris Koerner)

4. Kids’ Artwork Collage Service

Timestamps: 29:26–31:45

• Description:
  Parents mail children’s artwork, you arrange it artistically on a large canvas, finish with resin, and sell back as a cherished keepsake.
• Market:
  Parents with nostalgia and emotional connection—huge addressable audience.
• Scalability:
  Low startup cost, can automate arrangement ideas with ChatGPT.
• Memorable Quote:

  “You’re selling nostalgia, you’re selling a parent’s love for their children.” (30:20, Chris Koerner)

3. Wholesale Distribution to Convenience Stores

Timestamps: 31:46–32:30

• Description:
  Bypass vending machines—sell snacks (jerky, candy, chips, sodas) directly to gas stations, convenience stores, small gift shops.
• Barrier Insight:
  Perception that sales skills are required; actually, just needs willingness to talk to store owners.
• Opportunity:
  Low barrier to entry, high profit potential vs. traditional vending.
• Memorable Quote:

  “You don’t need a vending machine to sell jerky or candy or chips or sodas or whatever.” (32:02, Chris Koerner)

2. Goodwill Time-Lapse Home Service Videos

Timestamps: 32:31–36:28

• Description:
  Offer to do visible home services (mowing, pressure washing, roofing, painting) for free in exchange for time-lapse video rights; post to YouTube/TikTok.
• Why It Works:
  Highly viral content, massive audience appetite, “doing good while doing business.”
• Examples:
  SB Mowing (now 60–70M subscribers), Chris’s friend Colt Simpson earning six figures in months, format scalable to thousands of other home service niches.
• Scaling:
  With just a few cameras and remote editors can reach millions and monetize via ads, sponsorship, merch, etc.
• Memorable Quotes:

  “You’re doing good and you’re making money at the same time.” (33:07, Chris Koerner)
  “You just need to think: that guy has 60 million followers, I could do the same thing and start siphoning off some of those.” (34:50, Chris Koerner)

1. Import Low-Cost Jet Boats from China

Timestamps: 36:29–39:55

• Description:
  Find unique vehicles (jet boats, mini Jeeps, golf carts) on Alibaba—import at a fraction of domestic prices, list on Facebook Marketplace, and resell for profit.
• Two Business Models:
  • Sell direct, match keywords/searches (“jet ski”) to attract buyers.
  • Launch local “jet boat” rental competing directly with jet ski rental at a discount.
• Risk Management:
  “Middleman” model—test interest with listings before importing. Use Alibaba’s escrow/payment protection for safety.
• Chris’s Importing Experience:
  Draws on 15+ years importing/exporting from China, reiterates risk aversion is what creates margin.
• Memorable Quotes:

  “Go to Alibaba and start looking for things that look really interesting and copy and paste those pictures over to Facebook Marketplace at varying price points and see what kind of interest you get.” (38:34, Chris Koerner)
  “The word ‘middleman’ should not be a pejorative. It is a beautiful thing to be a middleman.” (39:35, Chris Koerner)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sharing with Others:

  “If you hear an idea that kind of reminds you of a friend or a family member, share this episode with them and say, ‘Hey, listen to number four or number eight.’” (00:59, Chris Koerner)

• On the Uniqueness of New Tech-Based Services:

  “Anytime new technology is developed, new service businesses are developed around that technology.” (03:08, Chris Koerner)

• On Taking Action:

  “Your only competitors are your doubts and fears.” (29:08, Chris Koerner)
  “Or you could sit around and think of 100 reasons why this won’t work. Or you could just go test it.” (27:05, Chris Koerner)

• On the Validity of “Unsexy” Business Ideas:

  “It's dirty, it’s unsexy, it’s hard to scale… But just like car seat cleaning… People are going to continue to want things to be clean and tidy and germ free. That is a true principle.” (25:32, Chris Koerner)

Structure, Flow & Tone

Chris’s tone is direct, high-energy, and “no-excuses” motivational—packed with personal anecdotes and real-world data points for credibility. The episode flows as a rapid-fire countdown, with each idea paired to practical marketing strategies (especially viral visual content, time-lapses, and guerrilla tactics) and a constant push for listeners to experiment, take risks, and avoid “idea paralysis.”

Additional Shout-Outs

Timestamps: 39:56–41:10

Chris closes with playful, family-oriented shoutouts to his daughter’s Spanish teacher and classmates, adding a human touch and reminding listeners of the personality at the heart of the show.

Useful for New Listeners

This summary distills Chris Koerner’s 11 top beginner business ideas, with key how-to takeaways, quotes at precise moments (MM:SS), and a full appreciation of his encouragement and marketing savvy. Whether you want to start a side hustle, leverage AI for content, or import unique products, this episode offers actionable, approachable, and scalable ideas in a motivating package, perfect for entrepreneurial beginners.