What to do?

There's a great quote by Geroge Carlin that goes something like, "I have a lot of great ideas. The problem is, most of them suck." Or something like that? That's how I feel. I have a TON of great business ideas, if I do say so myself. And it's not really that they suck...I just am too much of a chicken-poop to actually try one. Today I'd like to highlight two ideas that wont get out of my head. I'll create future blogs about the other ideas. So far, there is still room in SB for these two concepts....

1. Sno Cone stand in Santa Barbara ("The only place it snows in SB" - just made that up). How on earth do we live in a beach town and NOT have a sno cone stand. Every in-land town in California boasts one. How can we not? And why do they always seem to show up at every local festival in town (of which there are many) and not be available to the hoards of visitors vacationing in our wonderland? I want to open at least three: one in SB (ideally at the Dog House on Milpas) another one closer to the beach would also be good (like at the bike rental place x from the pier); in Goleta (in the Albertsons parking lot near the Camino Real shopping center & UCSB) and Carp (location tbd).

2. A maternity resale store in SB: reBorn. Why the capital 'B'? Just cuz I like it. There are exactly three places to buy maternity clothes here. (1) Due - think, $100 t-shirts (2) Motherhood - think run-of-the-mill and (3) Ross - which on a good day might actually yeild a major find but for the most part is really just 3x clothes passing as maternity. There are SO many pregos in SB and many of them are the type that actually shop at Due. These women then probably give away their duds after producing babies but what if there was an alternative. My store would be cute, clean, and cater to the pregnant clientle: * fully functioning rest rooms w/baby changing station * play area w/tv for kid-os * water for hydration and possibly fruit and cookies daily * figure-flatering mirrors (jk) * library where you can actually check out books (or trade?) * some baby clothes, but not many * and I'd even consign furniture (displayed in a photo album, not onsight). Also, I envision having evening events like parenting classes, crafts, cooking lessons, ladies-night-out night (??), book clubs, etc. Is that too pie-in-the-sky?

Both ideas take money. Money that I do not have. And time. Time that I do not have. I don't want to have B in daycare all day. And I don't want to have a business that runs my life. But what if I could somehow open these businesses and let other people run them while still making a profit in the land of high-rent? Maybe I'll make some calls about spaces for lease. There are a few locations in town that I've seen. Stay tuned...

edited 10.18.06 I've started a companion blog for the ReBorn idea....check it out!