| I think of business ideas so you don't have to. Every | | | | You can actually purchase a used balloon in decent |
| time I write an article about a new business idea I | | | | condition for around $15,000 or get a brand new one |
| kick myself for not starting it myself. But hey, | | | | for up around $80,000. |
| maybe I will if you don't read it. Enjoy :) | | | | Location, Location, Location |
| Business Idea: Sky Walk | | | | Of course, the success of every small business |
| Description: Tethered balloon rides with a romantic | | | | startup usually hinges on location, but with this |
| view above the city | | | | business you're in luck! When you have a huge |
| Start-Up Cost: $15k - $100k | | | | glowing balloon in the dark night sky it will be a little |
| Potential Income: a whopping $25,000 per month with | | | | hard to miss. |
| one balloon | | | | But you will still need to have a chunk of land in a |
| I remember racking my brain for ideas when I | | | | decent location to set up your balloon and allow |
| wanted to ask my wife, Emily, to be my bride. The | | | | people to park and mingle. The good thing is that you |
| way that I wanted to propose - before I found out | | | | don't even need a retail building. You just need a field |
| the extent of her fear for heights - was to take her | | | | and they will come. But don't set up your business on |
| up in a hot air balloon and get all of my college | | | | a remote farm because the cows aren't that |
| friends to spell out "marry me" on the ground with | | | | interesting from 100 feet in the air. Find a spot where |
| their bodies. | | | | the view from above will overlook the lights of |
| The problem was that every scheduled balloon ride is | | | | downtown or a popular area of entertainment. |
| at the mercy of the weather. If a storm comes it's a | | | | How to make money |
| no go. Not to mention that the balloonists can only | | | | The obvious way to make money with this business |
| plan routes over certain areas, which excluded my | | | | idea is to charge people for a ride in the balloon. |
| campus fly over idea. | | | | Depending on what size balloon you purchase you will |
| So, long story short, I proposed to her by the lake | | | | be able to accommodate 4 to 8 passengers at a |
| on a clear sky day with our feet where she wanted | | | | time. If your rate for one adult is $25 for a 15 minute |
| them - on the ground. But the whole "hot air balloon | | | | ride you can gross $800 per hour with an 8 |
| thing" did give birth to another great idea and here's | | | | passenger basket. |
| how it works: | | | | You will probably have about six hours of flight time |
| The idea | | | | for any given day. The trick is that you can't have |
| Imagine, if you will, flying up above a night lighted city | | | | any higher winds than about 8 mph. So, you can |
| in a beautiful glowing balloon while kissing your | | | | catch the calm winds for 3 hours in the morning at |
| beloved on your anniversary or other special | | | | sunrise and another 3 hours at sunset. This leaves |
| occasion. OK, and if you don't go for the sappy stuff | | | | you with the potential of making $4,800 per day! |
| imagine the thrill of being a hundred feet in the air, | | | | And it doesn't stop there. You can also make money |
| looking over your entire city, and only having to pay | | | | with advertising. I'm sure that you've seen hot air |
| a fraction of the cost of a long balloon ride. | | | | balloons with big name advertising on them. That's |
| Most hot air balloon rides are 2 to 3 hours and are | | | | because they are flying billboards for hundreds of |
| only offered at certain times of the year when the | | | | spectators. Balloons are beautiful and when they pass |
| weather is prime. But, some adventure companies | | | | overhead it's instinctive to watch their graceful flight |
| offer tethered balloon rides at large events that can | | | | through the air - and, boom, advertising happens. |
| be booked year round. | | | | Your advertising rates can be comparable to billboard |
| So what is a tethered balloon ride anyway? A | | | | rates which are $700 to $2,500 a month. You can |
| tethered ride is defined when a hot air balloon is tied | | | | have 2 to 3 ad spots attached to your balloon and |
| to the ground with three or four very strong ropes | | | | make a minimum of $1,400 per month in advertising |
| to keep it from flying away. This allows the lift of a | | | | profits alone. |
| large group of people at a specific location meaning | | | | This is definitely one of those ideas that I should do |
| lots of quick money for you. | | | | myself - and again, like my Joy Rides idea, I'm not |
| Buy a hot air balloon | | | | quite sure why I haven't started it yet. But if you |
| The initial investment for this idea is literally nothing | | | | decide to make this business idea happen, please let |
| compared to the amount of money you can make. | | | | me know I would love to hear from you. |