My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

Affinity-Based Retirement Communities

For: Retirees with shared cultural, ethnic, or interest-based affinities

Buildability

Most retirement communities only cater to golf enthusiasts, leaving many retirees without culturally aligned community options

Build retirement communities around specific affinities - ethnicity, hobbies, interests, languages - with relevant amenities, food, and activities

People living longer healthier lives (20-30 years post-retirement), silver tsunami creating demand, proven demand with waiting lists

Day 1

Survey specific ethnic community for interest

Day 2

Identify potential land parcels near population centers

Day 3

Research successful models like Shantinian

Day 4

Create basic landing page for waitlist

Day 5

Interview 10 potential residents about preferences

Pre-sell units before building

Partner with existing cultural centers for validation

Run focus groups in target communities

Test demand with refundable deposits

High upfront payments (100% down, 5-year waits) plus monthly fees for amenities and services

First-mover advantage in specific affinity, land ownership, regulatory approvals, community network effects

Regulatory challenges across statesHigh upfront capital requirementsCultural sensitivity misstepsDemographic shifts affecting demand