Experiential venues and hospitality — 2 creators, 8 ideas

Revive outdated driving ranges by acquiring underperforming facilities, upgrading the customer experience, and operating them as welcoming, membership-driven golf venues.

Chris Koerner on The Koerner Office Podcast — He Turns Abandoned Driving Ranges Into Cash Machines

Buy abandoned, overgrown, or dated driving ranges in markets with golf demand, improve the parts customers notice most, and create recurring revenue through memberships, repeat visits, lessons, events, food and beverages, and differentiated amenities. The model focuses on golf practice and community rather than making food, hospitality, or entertainment the primary product.

Problem: Traditional driving ranges often provide a stale, unwelcoming experience with poor balls, damaged mats, limited weather protection, outdated facilities, weak websites, and little reason for customers to return frequently.

For: Serious and regular golfers, families who want to introduce children to golf, golfers' non-playing companions, people who have never tried golf, and customers looking for a welcoming routine-based venue.

Examples

Golf Ranch: grew from three and a half balls hit per year at one facility two or three years earlier to 12 million today.

Private golf simulator membership facility

Chris Koerner on The Koerner Office Podcast — He Spends 1 Hour a Week on This Business

Operate a small, private golf simulator space where members reserve tee times to practice their swings, improve their golf game, play simulator games, and occasionally bring guests or family members.

Problem: Golfers may lack enough room for a simulator at home, use a home simulator only briefly, dislike the intimidation of practicing at a public range, or want a convenient indoor alternative when weather makes outdoor practice difficult.

For: Golf enthusiasts who want to improve their swings; country-club members seeking a convenient practice space; beginners who want private, non-intimidating practice; and families who want access to golf and other simulator games.

Examples

Swing Cave Golf reached break-even at about 15 members within three months, grew to about 28 members after another three months, and reported approximately 50% net profit margins at six months.

Chocolate-covered potato-chip stand

Chris Koerner on The Koerner Office Podcast — The 11 Best Side Hustles for 2026

Sell potato chips covered with freshly melted chocolate at farmers markets, using the visible preparation as the attraction.

Problem: Customers want an eye-catching, freshly prepared snack experience.

For: Farmers-market visitors and passersby interested in novel sweets.

Examples

The transcript says a candy company considers a similar chocolate-covered product its best seller.

Calisthenics showdown promoted like a rap battle and UFC event

My First Million — 9 drunk ideas that sound stupid (but are secretly genius)

A live competition built around calisthenics battles, character-driven athletes, walkouts, trash talk, music, face-offs, betting and a crowd gathered around a small performance area. The event is also designed to generate compelling video content.

Problem: A large community of people is passionate about calisthenics, but it lacks a widely recognized, entertaining competition format with the drama and content potential of rap battles or UFC events.

For: Calisthenics athletes, strength enthusiasts, spectators who enjoy combat-sports-style entertainment and online audiences interested in fitness spectacle.

Examples

Extra Money versus Calisthenics Prince: described as a main event with character-driven competitors and a UFC-style presentation.

Premium presentation hot-chocolate stand

Chris Koerner on The Koerner Office Podcast — The 11 Best Side Hustles for 2026

Sell hot chocolate with marshmallow fluff, a toasted rim, and Oreo crumbles at farmers markets.

Problem: Customers want an attractive, indulgent version of a familiar hot chocolate.

For: Farmers-market customers seeking visually appealing hot drinks, especially in cold weather.

Examples

A hot-chocolate presentation in India was described as raising a $6 drink to a $9 drink through the extra presentation.

Giant claw-machine spectacle with large prizes

My First Million — 9 drunk ideas that sound stupid (but are secretly genius)

A physical attraction that replaces an underused retail building with a giant claw machine. Customers pay to attempt to win unusually large prizes such as a PS5, baby grand piano, golf cart or family bicycle.

Problem: Traditional claw machines are small and ordinary, while vacant or underperforming retail spaces need a spectacle that attracts attention, creates lines and encourages people to spend repeatedly.

For: Families, shoppers, tourists and people attracted to visually striking entertainment and large-prize games.

Examples

Gotcha arcades: described as spaces containing around 150 claw machines, using tokens and prizes aimed at children.

Mexican Benihana-style interactive restaurant

My First Million — 9 drunk ideas that sound stupid (but are secretly genius)

A Mexican restaurant that combines the interactive, tableside cooking and entertainment format of Benihana with Mexican food. The table would function as the cooking surface, with fajitas, chips, dips, guacamole, mariachi entertainment and theatrical food delivery.

Problem: Mexican food and interactive tableside dining are each attractive experiences, but they are not combined into a dedicated restaurant format.

For: Groups, families and diners seeking a social, theatrical restaurant experience centered on Mexican food.

Examples

Benihana: cited as the established restaurant format that combines a chef, a table that functions as the stove, fresh food, semicircular seating, jokes, magic tricks and tableside presentation; its annual revenue was stated as $300 million to $500 million.

Premium assisted-living facilities for families seeking substantially better elder care

My First Million — 9 Killer Business Ideas The Internet Hasn't Caught Up To in 2026

Build a higher-end assisted-living option for elderly people and others who need support, addressing the perception that many existing facilities are poor places to send a parent or loved one.

Problem: Families need a care environment they feel genuinely comfortable choosing, rather than settling for assisted-living options that they believe are inadequate.

For: Wealthy families paying for care for parents, grandparents, siblings, or other loved ones.

Examples

Senior living facilities: presented as an example of a business that could benefit from the elderly population growing from under 1 billion people to over 2.5 billion.