The Startup Ideas Podcast

Episode: 6 Scalable Startup Ideas (You Can Start Tomorrow)

Host: Greg Isenberg
Guest: Chris "Sauce" Kerner
Date: January 12, 2026

Overview

In this fast-paced episode, Greg Isenberg welcomes back Chris Kerner ("Sauce") to brainstorm actionable, scalable startup ideas you can launch immediately—without needing a lot of upfront capital. The conversation is packed with practical, creative business concepts, real-life case studies, and witty banter, all designed to motivate listeners to stop sitting on the sidelines and start building.

Episode Theme:
“You’re a side hustle away from changing your life.”
The hosts share six (plus!) scalable business ideas, unpack the nuances of market size, discuss why distribution outshines invention, and riff on why sometimes “dumb” ideas, mixed with powerful distribution (think short-form video and AI), are the smartest moves.

Key Highlights & Discussion Points

1. The Mindset: Every Idea is Scalable

• [01:41] Chris Kerner:
  • “In my opinion, everything is scalable. The right question is how hard would it be to scale to that—to whatever number. Because for some $100,000 a year is scale, to some, $100 million. So these are all scalable.”
  • The first goal is to shake listeners out of inertia: “If this episode is successful, you’ll hit pause, go out and do something, and come back days later to finish it.” ([00:54])
• Distribution (not just product) matters—sometimes the dumbest ideas scale the most with the right marketing in place.

2. Startup Idea #1: Third-Party Facebook Marketplace Apps

[02:30 – 07:40]

• Problem: Half a billion people use Facebook Marketplace, but there are almost no quality third-party apps aimed at power sellers (think price alerts, analytics, arbitrage tools, auto-messaging).
  • Chris: “People are not building apps on top of Facebook Marketplace. And I don’t know why.” ([04:06])
  • “Ebay has thousands of apps built on top of it…some got acquired by ebay for hundreds of millions. There’s something here.” ([04:36])
  • Greg: “That’s crazy, dude.”
• Actionable Insight:
  • The FB Marketplace API allows for more than people realize. Greg and Chris encourage listeners to "vibe code" (MVP quickly via tools or no-code) for this massive yet under-explored ecosystem.
  • Potential: The Shopify app store has 12,000 apps and is worth billions ([05:05]); why not Facebook Marketplace?

3. Startup Idea #2: “Dumb” but Virally Distributed Products Using Short-Form Video, AI, and 3D Printing

[07:46 – 13:00]

• Observation: Seemingly trivial products can become hits through viral algorithm-driven content (e.g., a foam propeller guard for boats sold thousands via a viral video).
  • Chris: “Nothing goes viral without half of people thinking you’re dumb…algorithms love comments, even if they’re negative. The other half can see themselves using it.” ([09:08])
• Business Concept:
  • Use AI to generate “dumb” product ideas, prototype instantly with 3D printing, and validate via short-form video. Don’t invest in manufacturing until pre-orders roll in.
  • Greg: “You just need a small percentage of billions of users for success.”
• Added Sauce:
  • Layer in AI features—even silly ones—for virality. (“What if the propeller guard was voice-enabled?” [11:32])
• Ethics & Suitability: Not every idea is for everyone: “Statistical probability that the only idea you have is the one you should bet on is almost zero. Always compare multiple ideas.” ([12:00])

4. Startup Idea #3: Mobile, Automated Bike Washing & Maintenance

[17:17 – 22:00]

• Problem: Cyclists own expensive bikes, hate washing them, and often lack the facilities or time to do so. Bike shops charge a lot and have long waits.
• Idea:
  • Set up a mobile/automated bike wash (think carwash, but for bikes) at trailheads, cycling races, or through city partnerships.
• Revenue Model: $20 per wash, 40 washes/day = $800 revenue; low overhead to launch (rent a trailer, buy a pressure washer, go hands-on). ([18:14–18:20])
  • “Most people are in apartments... They just don’t wash their bikes, or pay too much and wait too long.” ([18:03])
• Expansion:
  • Franchise to cities, offer recurring maintenance plans, or apply the model to golf bags, tennis gear, etc.
  • Subscription model is proven: Car washes make the majority of revenue from $40/month unlimited wash subscriptions. ([23:15])
  • “Maybe it’s a subscription where, for $25/month, you get unlimited bike washes.” ([24:13])

5. Startup Idea #4: Wristband/Sticker Advertising & Simple Safety Products

[24:38 – 31:54]

• Origin Story:
  • Chris’s college iPhone repair shop exploded after he had local bars hand out wristbands carrying his ad (“15% off iPhone repair”)—solving a problem at the exact moment it occurs. ([25:20–26:48])
    • “With any business, you’re one idea away from completely changing the outcome.” ([26:48])
• Current Spin:
  • Distributing “anti-drink spiking” stickers to bars. Print round stickers for bar drinks, both as a safety product and as a recurring advertising medium (e.g., branding, QR codes).
  • Chris: “You can sell these rolls of stickers to the bars and they’ll buy from you and only you every single month. It sells itself because it’s viral and it promotes safety and it’s fear-based.” ([27:32])
• Business Model:
  • Stickers cost ~1.5¢ each, could wholesale for $50–$200/roll.
  • Can upsell custom branding or advertising spots.
  • IRL/experiential hacks: “Bars that use this can market as the ‘safest bar in town’—it’s a viral effect.” ([29:59]–[30:40])

6. Startup Idea #5: Vending Machines for Surprising Offline Products

[31:57 – 36:35]

• Chris: “People love a good vending idea.” ([32:15])
• Idea:
  • Place rock or seashell vending machines at trailheads, airports, kid-heavy venues. Simple product, huge markup, almost no spoilage or perishability.
    • “The rocks cost between 5 and 20 cents each. Sell for $1–2.” 90%+ margins. ([32:50])
  • Validation: Kids in the South love shiny rocks at Buc-ee's; “If Buc-ee's does it in every single store, it crushes.” ([33:21])
  • Greg’s twist: Seashell vending machines in Miami Beach or airports.
• Chris: “Vending machines let you do offline A/B testing. Change out product/sign each month—see what crushes. If I ruled the world, I’d put random vending machines everywhere just to see what hits with which demographic.” ([35:21])

7. Startup Idea #6: Meme-ifying the First Edition Pokémon Card Market

[36:39 – 54:38]

• Trend: Pokémon cards, especially vintage first editions, have massively outperformed the stock market as an asset class.
• The "Kabuto King" Playbook: A Twitter user bought all the first edition, unloved Kabuto cards, “memed” them, and dramatically raised their price (from $0.30 to $10–20).
  • Chris: “He’s turned this lame Pokémon into a meme. Just by buying them and tweeting about it. Now there’s Ekans King, etc.” ([38:07])
• Chris’s Secret Project Reveal:
  • “I have been buying two different [Pokémon] cards from 1999...I have about a thousand of them so far. I haven’t told a soul. This is the great reveal.” ([39:05])
  • Acquiring Shelder and Krabby cards at scale, with the thesis that, as with Kabuto, scarcity and meme power will drive price appreciation.
  • Details: Buy the “worst” cards, sub-$2 each, in quantity. Get best graded, flip for profit, hold the rest.
• Scale Play:
  • “You want an eight-figure business? Hire someone to buy every single first edition 1999 Pokémon card online. It’ll cost you ~$400k, but you’ll control the supply. In the future, you’ll be the only source for full sets.” ([45:00–46:27])
• Meta-Idea: Disrupt the $50/card grading monopoly (PSA)
  • “Why do they have that monopoly?” ([47:01])
  • Build a $5 grading service, add livestream ‘unboxing’/grading for virality and transparency, AI-powered grading (“AI finds the flaw, docks half a point…” [53:54])
  • Layer in a ‘Golden Ticket’/chance-motif—grading service as entertainment as much as utility.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [04:45] Chris: “There’s no third-party apps for Facebook Marketplace… Not really. I found a couple janky ones, but nothing legitimate. That’s crazy.”
• [09:08] Chris: “Nothing goes viral without half of people thinking you’re dumb… and algorithms love comments, even if negative.”
• [18:16] Chris: “You pay $20; it takes five minutes. Easy sale. 40 washes a day at 20 bucks each is $800 in revenue. No inventory, no employees needed.”
• [26:48] Chris: “With any business, you’re one idea away from completely changing the outcome.”
• [29:53] Chris: “There’s nothing too stupid: repackage, reframe, win.”
• [32:50] Chris: “The rocks cost between five and twenty cents each. Sell them for one or two dollars. That’s a 90% profit margin.”
• [39:42] Chris: “I have about a thousand of them so far…I haven’t told a soul…This is the great reveal, only on your podcast.”
• [45:00] Chris: “You want an eight-figure business? Hire someone…you’ll be the guy. You own the supply!”
• [53:54] Chris: “You can use AI to look at the picture. AI’s like, ‘there’s a little smidge in the corner, docks half a point…’”

Timestamps by Key Segment

| Timestamp | Topic | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:54 | The real goal: inspire action, get listeners to execute | | 02:30–07:40 | Facebook Marketplace 3rd-party apps—blue ocean for tools | | 07:46–13:00 | “Dumb” products + viral distribution + AI/3D printing | | 17:17–22:00 | Mobile automated bike washing, recurring revenue/subscriptions | | 24:38–31:54 | Wristband ads, anti-spike stickers, IRL customer acquisition | | 31:57–36:35 | Vending machine arbitrage (rocks, seashells, A/B testing) | | 36:39–54:38 | Meme-ifying Pokémon cards, grading disruption, new playbooks |

Closing Thoughts

Chris Kerner leaves listeners with a challenge: “Go start a business. Go do something with this information.” ([54:50])
Greg echoes: “Take your legs and get them moving!” ([55:01])

Quick Reference: 6+ Scalable Startup Ideas from the Episode

1. Facebook Marketplace Tooling: Build analytics, automation, and arbitrage apps for power sellers.
2. Dumb-but-Viral Products: AI/3D-printed novelty products validated via short-form videos.
3. Mobile Bike Wash: Automated, on-site, subscription-based bike cleaning/maintenance.
4. Wristband/Sticker Advertising: Embedded ads and safety measures for nightlife venues.
5. Novelty Vending Machines: High-margin, simple vending at high-foot-traffic locations.
6. Pokémon Card Meme Market: Aggregate “worthless” vintage cards, meme them, and control the market.
   • + Disrupt card grading monopoly with livestreamed, AI-powered, $5 grading.

For even more ideas and supporting materials, visit Greg’s Startup Ideas Database: https://gregisenberg.com/30startupideas

Hosts’ Parting Note:
Stop overthinking. Start something.
“You’re a side hustle away from changing your life.”