3 ms·

I need your help on a business idea

2 points by claudio_h 4y ago

Hello guys, I hope you had a lovely day so far. Now why am I posting this? Because I need your help. Let me explain my problem. At the moment I am working on a project which tries to connect people through food. The idea is that if you like to cook and meet new people you can invite them to your place. I would be the middleman like air bnb and connect the cooks with the guests. First of all. It’s nothing new. The main idea exists already but what do you think about the concept? Secondly, how do you think the cooks can be motivated to want to cook on the platform? Because in Switzerland you are quickly classified as a restaurant, hence making it not possible to make any profit of the dinner if you don’t meet restaurant standards. Now do you think that getting to know new people is enough? A benefit could be a discount with partners, for example on cooking classes. Another option could be a 5-10CHF Coupon from time to time for having successful dinners. Another one is to be part of a Cooking Community which shares different recipes and inspires. Basically, establishing a network with the other cooks. I of course could combine those incentives but somehow I am still not convinced, which is why I am writing this post. I am also open to different business models! Feel free to share whatever came to your mind. I want to thank you in advance for your feedback!

O__________O 4y ago
Curious, why not just match people randomly to meet for lunch in a highly-focused, population-dense, area and partner with restaurants to market it? Understand that’s completely different than cooking, but guess in part trying to understand what dynamics are locked-in and which ones you’re flexible on. Lastly, given you mentioned CHF, assuming you’re in Switzerland or Liechtenstein, so might be worth explicitly stating your geographic assumptions too.
- claudio_h 4y ago
  Thanks. So yes, located in switzerland. The plan is to start in switzerland but go global later on if I see good traction. Now I have thought about meeting in a restaurant, which takes a different approach and one would not need to have the cooks. My main issue is the price point. I want to give something more affordable. Of course the people can set their own price and it could be expensive but when trying to validate the idea I actually found myself getting invited for free very or paying way less than in the restaurant. Also for me. I like the home feeling better. The noises in the restaurant aren't given and I believe one can connect better because it is a different setting. Of course one could say there is a safety issue and no openness, but in trying out the idea so many people came to my place and didn't feel unsafe at all when I asked them. I also went to other people and at the first time had some concerns but now after many good experiences am not anxious at all. It also is quite similar to Couchsurfing, which has been a proven business model. I totally forgot to write about my business model. It is that I would charge a 5% fee on top of the ingredient costs, which is why the business model as it is just works if I have many people on the plattform.
  - O__________O 4y ago
    In my opinion, Couchsurfing.com failed as a business model; especially if you compare it to AirBNB, which basically copied it and to start just had better photos. Regardless of where people meet, given enough people on the platform, you will have users that abuse it. Obviously meeting at a private residence is likely more dangerous than meeting in public. Feel like charging percent based on the cost of ingredients, meal, etc — will ultimately create dynamics that result in sub optimal experience. Sound wise, maybe stick to low volume times/days to start; for example, Monday nights. Main thing is, to me, you need a single measurable point of impact, for example new restaurants discovered, new people meet, etc. Then make it happen without limiting it unless it’s not economically viable, illegal, etc. If there’s anything I missed covering (from my perspective) or you have additional topics, let me know. I do think that if neither party has been to the restaurant and during off hours, most restaurants would be happy to give a significant discount on the meal if the customers are blindly given the restaurant; basically only filters parties could give us dietary, general location, and timing limits. Especially, if the restaurant is struggling to get business. Basically it’s Groupon for Tinder; specifically mentioned dating app, since friend finding apps rarely work as a business model and most professionals would rather meet over coffee or alcohol in my experience.
    - gus_massa 4y ago
      I agree. IIRC AirBnB and Uber started as a peer to peer service, but soon fall into professionalization, and it would be difficult to avoid. Also, the price of the meal and quality may cause big discussions. Are they natural smashed potatoes or the mix that comes dehydrated in bags? Jam of just slides of pink food made of pork[1]? @OP: Are you panning a vegan / organic option? [1] Here it's illegal to call something jam unless it meet a few criteria. So supermarkets also sell some jam replacement without a clear name and that in tiny letter says something like "food made of pork and other ingredients".
      - claudio_h 4y ago
        Hey. I myself am vegan but I don't like to exclude people so I would make an option to filter for allergies and how someone eats. Yes defining what food is what is pretty difficult. I mean I think I solve this issue with time through ratings of the food. The price would be just the ingredient costs to keep it low and avoid legal issues.
gus_massa 4y ago
> Because in Switzerland you are quickly classified as a restaurant The problem is to ensure the quality of the meal. Do you like food that is uncooked fish like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceviche https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceviche ? Is it well prepared to avoid transmitting diseases? Part of the requirements to open a restaurant are to ensure that, but I'm not sure if the regulation in Switzerland is toooooooooo annoying. [Hi from Argentina!]
- claudio_h 4y ago
  Thank you for your reply. I've already ckecked it with the government. Now in switzerland there are really tight regulations but it is still a gray zone. Germany has the same problem. But the main question I think is if it is more a connecting plattform or an eating plattform. SO if the food is the focus or the people. Because I figured when you come with the reason to enjoy good food, the prices are going to skyrocket to actually make some money as the cook. But I validated the idea and found that the social aspect is actually the main aspect of the idea. And I think that new friendship will not flurish from one making profit of the other one. Now indeed an important part is to ensure quality which I am planning to ensure at the beginning myself and later on through rating.

2 points by claudio_h 4y ago

O__________O 4y ago

Curious, why not just match people randomly to meet for lunch in a highly-focused, population-dense, area and partner with restaurants to market it? Understand that’s completely different than cooking, but guess in part trying to understand what dynamics are locked-in and which ones you’re flexible on. Lastly, given you mentioned CHF, assuming you’re in Switzerland or Liechtenstein, so might be worth explicitly stating your geographic assumptions too.

claudio_h 4y ago
Thanks. So yes, located in switzerland. The plan is to start in switzerland but go global later on if I see good traction. Now I have thought about meeting in a restaurant, which takes a different approach and one would not need to have the cooks. My main issue is the price point. I want to give something more affordable. Of course the people can set their own price and it could be expensive but when trying to validate the idea I actually found myself getting invited for free very or paying way less than in the restaurant. Also for me. I like the home feeling better. The noises in the restaurant aren't given and I believe one can connect better because it is a different setting. Of course one could say there is a safety issue and no openness, but in trying out the idea so many people came to my place and didn't feel unsafe at all when I asked them. I also went to other people and at the first time had some concerns but now after many good experiences am not anxious at all. It also is quite similar to Couchsurfing, which has been a proven business model. I totally forgot to write about my business model. It is that I would charge a 5% fee on top of the ingredient costs, which is why the business model as it is just works if I have many people on the plattform.
- O__________O 4y ago
  In my opinion, Couchsurfing.com failed as a business model; especially if you compare it to AirBNB, which basically copied it and to start just had better photos. Regardless of where people meet, given enough people on the platform, you will have users that abuse it. Obviously meeting at a private residence is likely more dangerous than meeting in public. Feel like charging percent based on the cost of ingredients, meal, etc — will ultimately create dynamics that result in sub optimal experience. Sound wise, maybe stick to low volume times/days to start; for example, Monday nights. Main thing is, to me, you need a single measurable point of impact, for example new restaurants discovered, new people meet, etc. Then make it happen without limiting it unless it’s not economically viable, illegal, etc. If there’s anything I missed covering (from my perspective) or you have additional topics, let me know. I do think that if neither party has been to the restaurant and during off hours, most restaurants would be happy to give a significant discount on the meal if the customers are blindly given the restaurant; basically only filters parties could give us dietary, general location, and timing limits. Especially, if the restaurant is struggling to get business. Basically it’s Groupon for Tinder; specifically mentioned dating app, since friend finding apps rarely work as a business model and most professionals would rather meet over coffee or alcohol in my experience.
  - gus_massa 4y ago
    I agree. IIRC AirBnB and Uber started as a peer to peer service, but soon fall into professionalization, and it would be difficult to avoid. Also, the price of the meal and quality may cause big discussions. Are they natural smashed potatoes or the mix that comes dehydrated in bags? Jam of just slides of pink food made of pork[1]? @OP: Are you panning a vegan / organic option? [1] Here it's illegal to call something jam unless it meet a few criteria. So supermarkets also sell some jam replacement without a clear name and that in tiny letter says something like "food made of pork and other ingredients".
    - claudio_h 4y ago
      Hey. I myself am vegan but I don't like to exclude people so I would make an option to filter for allergies and how someone eats. Yes defining what food is what is pretty difficult. I mean I think I solve this issue with time through ratings of the food. The price would be just the ingredient costs to keep it low and avoid legal issues.

gus_massa 4y ago

> Because in Switzerland you are quickly classified as a restaurant The problem is to ensure the quality of the meal. Do you like food that is uncooked fish like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceviche https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceviche ? Is it well prepared to avoid transmitting diseases? Part of the requirements to open a restaurant are to ensure that, but I'm not sure if the regulation in Switzerland is toooooooooo annoying. [Hi from Argentina!]

claudio_h 4y ago
Thank you for your reply. I've already ckecked it with the government. Now in switzerland there are really tight regulations but it is still a gray zone. Germany has the same problem. But the main question I think is if it is more a connecting plattform or an eating plattform. SO if the food is the focus or the people. Because I figured when you come with the reason to enjoy good food, the prices are going to skyrocket to actually make some money as the cook. But I validated the idea and found that the social aspect is actually the main aspect of the idea. And I think that new friendship will not flurish from one making profit of the other one. Now indeed an important part is to ensure quality which I am planning to ensure at the beginning myself and later on through rating.