Why build small, scalable startups

In this episode, I sat down with Chris Koerner and we go through a set of approachable startup ideas that start low-friction but can scale if you get distribution right. We start with a potential “app ecosystem” opportunity around Facebook Marketplace, plus a product-studio framework that combines short-form video, AI, and 3D printing to validate “dumb” products via demand before you invest. We then jump to more grounded, local-first ideas—bike washing/maintenance subscriptions, bar anti-spike stickers, and even vending-machine concepts like “shiny rock” drops at trailheads. We close with a weird Pokémon-card “meme + supply control” play inspired by the Kabuto King, including Chris’s own collecting “big reveal.” From there, I dig into why PSA-style grading feels slow and expensive, and we workshop a more modern grading experience (including a livestream/packaging angle and an AI-from-photo approach).

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

02:28 – Startup Idea 1: Facebook Marketplace App Studio

07:43 – Startup Idea 2: DTC Product Studio

17:05 – Startup Idea 3: Bike Washing/Maintenance Subscription

24:29 – Startup Idea 4: Anti-Drink-Spike Stickers

31:55 – Startup Idea 5: Shiny Rock Vending Machines

36:37 – Startup Idea 6: The Kabuto King and Card Grading

Key Points

• I look for “alpha” where people are already obsessing, but the market structure is still primitive (like collectibles + grading).

• I treat “distribution” as the multiplier—short-form can make “dumb” products viable if the content loop is strong.

• I push for starting manually first (prove demand), then upgrading into infrastructure, subscriptions, and scale.

• I pay attention to marketplaces with huge usage but weak third-party tooling—there’s often a platform-layer opportunity there.

• I keep coming back to “repackaging” as a business model: same underlying thing, new wrapper, new buyer, new channel.

The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com

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