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My First Million

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

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Turn viral cultural moment into profitable product within 8 weeks

Entrepreneurs who spot early viral trends and can move fast on product development

8-12 weeks from meme identification to product launch

What Success Looks Like

Product launches with pre-built audience demand, immediate social media following, and organic user-generated content without paid marketing

Steps to Execute

1

Identify viral moment that connects to specific person/creator

2

Partner with the creator as the authentic face of the brand

3

Choose simplest possible product that can be manufactured quickly (water, apparel, etc)

4

Design product that looks good in social media posts

5

Launch on meaningful date related to the meme

6

Distribute through guerrilla tactics at relevant events

7

Build waitlist rather than trying to fulfill demand immediately

Checklist

Meme has staying power beyond initial viral moment
Creator is willing to be authentic brand ambassador
Product can be manufactured in under 8 weeks
Clear target audience that's engaged with the meme
Distribution channel accessible to target demographic

Inputs Needed

  • Viral cultural moment with identifiable creator
  • Fast product manufacturing capability
  • Design team for rapid iteration
  • Creator willing to partner authentically

Outputs

  • Product with built-in viral marketing
  • Engaged social media following
  • Authentic brand ambassador relationship
  • User-generated content and organic buzz

Example

“High school basketball player accidentally creates viral TikTok meme saying '67'. Partner with player to create 67 Water, design gold cans, launch on 6/7, distribute at basketball tournaments, build to 150k followers in 2 months”