Editor’s note: This article was first published in December 2010, when full-body scanners were being introduced at US airports. The scanners in use today work differently, for example showing a generic outline rather than the traveller’s body, so the premise reflects that time.
A business idea arises from a need that is already there, waiting. At that moment, whoever is fastest wins. That’s the case of the company that has taken advantage of users’ complaints to get rich quickly. As we have all seen on television, airports in the United States are infringing on travellers’ privacy.
The scanners show travellers completely naked, and anyone who refuses to be scanned has to undergo a thorough pat-down by airport staff. After thousands of complaints and grievances from travellers, one company has come up with a solution, and it has turned its idea into one of the most profitable and fastest-growing businesses of the moment.
This company has designed underwear with metallic areas that cover only the pelvic area. It then designed a bra as well, so that a person going through the scanner doesn’t appear completely naked.
The underwear design may not be the sexiest thing around for a night of passion and lust, but it’s true that since these garments went on sale, travellers feel more comfortable going through the scanner, since their most intimate parts are covered.
This is an example of how, when you have a business idea, you have to act fast. That’s what this company did. Tomorrow hundreds of manufacturers may appear designing more attractive models of underwear, but this company was the pioneer, so by the time the new models arrive, it will already have made its business pay many times over.
Further reading
- The most profitable businesses of 2010–2012
- How to start a business with no money
- If you have a business idea… how to make it happen
- Business idea: virtual assistant
See also: How to make large amounts of money in a crisis
Featured image: Erica Fischer, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
