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Cou
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Mom-and-pop lemonade-stand-style ways to make quick legal cash from chemistry
Of course when you read that title, you thought "meth cooking", meth cooks make a ton of money from their chemistry knowledge, by selling a product on
the street that has VERY high demand and low supply. All of this being done without a formal business, simply a lemonade-stand operation (make meth,
walk to streets, sell, cash, done).
But I am not promoting meth cooking. The problem with making money from chemistry is that the USA is capitalist and doesn't want low to middle-class
citizens making their own cash from a lemonade stand business. Would rather they make that cash by being a proletariat and working for a big company,
be part of the working class. So the USA makes tons of laws and regulations making it very difficult to sell stuff on the street,
lemonade-stand-style, without an official business and licenses.
In the pre-industrial days, the working class wasn't nearly as strong as it is now. Before the industrial revolution, and for most of post-agriculture
society, individual families made money from their own little hobbies in their house. Be it a blacksmith who makes money by selling steel weapons, a
tailor who sells clothes from their own house, etc. The people who were equivalent wealth as of today's working class, didn't make money as much by
working for a huge company.
And this brings me to chemistry. With my chemistry knowledge, if I don't have enough money to buy factory space and start an official business, what
are some legal things that I could sell to the public, in a lemonade stand fashion? If wintergreen (methyl salicylate) isn't toxic, the best thing I
can think of is wintergreen flavored liquor. Or diethyl ether. But drug-making isn't in the spirit of this forum. So what about something utilitarian,
some kind of homebrew cleaning product?
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Bert
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Thread Moved
22-3-2015 at 07:13 |
Chemosynthesis
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Quote: Originally posted by Cou  | | The problem with making money from chemistry is that the USA is capitalist and doesn't want low to middle-class citizens making their own cash from a
lemonade stand business. Would rather they make that cash by being a proletariat and working for a big company, be part of the working class. So the
USA makes tons of laws and regulations making it very difficult to sell stuff on the street, lemonade-stand-style, without an official business and
licenses. |
What a fascinating definition of 'capitalism.'
If you want to make money, look at what is in demand. Perhaps some soaps or perfumery supplies, assuming you can offer a superior product in some
form, and/or at a lower price (doubtful on the latter). You most likely need to distinguish your products in some proprietary fashion.
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Cou
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If only I knew anything about organic chemistry beyond functional groups... then perfumes made of various fruit-scented esters would be doable.
Another interesting idea: Using those same banana/orange/grape artificial flavorings to make extracts similar to food coloring which can be put on
food.
[Edited on 22-3-2015 by Cou]
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Amos
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Methyl salicylate is pretty toxic. Doses as low as 10mL can be fatal, even less for children.
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morganbw
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Young Cou,
Perhaps essential oils, not synthesized as such but extracted.
Big item in aromatic therapy and perfume, soaps, etc.... Could work well in a niche market/possibly.
Glad you are still here and please leave meth out of your every post, not a healthy thing to think about continually.
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aga
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If you're new to something, such as Business, take a look at what other people are doing.
Also Talk to them - the worst they can do is tell you to f**k off, although people usually love to talk about themselves at great length.
If you see, for example, a hotdog stand on a street corner every day, you can safely assume that they are making enough money to want to keep coming
back each day to do it again.
From this you can conclude that people buy those hotdogs from that place every day, and that it makes a profit.
Do some more observation, and ask people questions, such as 'would you have preferred a Burger to a Hotdog ?' and 'how far did you walk (and from
where) to get that hotdog ?'.
The simplest thing is to simply Copy a working business as best you can, but asking questions sometimes reveals a better way to make more money.
Walk before Run and all that.
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Hellafunt
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Like Chemosynthesis indicated above, you will never be able to compete in the low price battlefield. The only ways left to distinguish ones product
in the market place is higher quality or unusual offerings. Despite the "anti Mom and Pop laws "you mentioned Cou, there are ways for the little guy
to bring his goods to the public.
It is very cheap to rent a table at a weekend farmers market or swap meet. Give out samples. Use eye catching packaging. If you are selling an
extract you made, have a distillation set up on your table, it will draw folks over to check it out like a magnet. People respond to seeing the face
behind the product. If you are there to answer questions, and you are polite and patient, you will do great. I speak from experience.
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mayko
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This might not make you a millionaire, but it might help some of your issues with finding a supportive community and working space: have you thought
about a chemical hackerspace? The notion pops up on the forum from time to time. You might look into local, existing spaces and see if they would be
interested in branching out.
I mention this in particular because, even if your business model hinges on home chemistry somehow, it's still going to require some amount of
additional infrastructure. For example, suppose I decided to sell small samples of copper salts, melted inside glass, as jewelry. Yes, this is a
chemistry project, but there's also the glass-processing aspect, the metalworking aspect, the need for art supplies and maybe photography for
marketing... you may not have all this on hand! By working with an extant, open structure, you might get access to the additional tools and skills
you'll need to provide backup.
You'll also be opening the door for people who are already there, who know a lot about electronics but not about chemistry. You'd have a more flexible
liability climate to work in. Your parents would see you working in an environment with allegedly competent humans, and maybe worry less. You might
even be able to offset some of your fees with chemistry shows!
[Edited on 22-3-2015 by mayko]
al-khemie is not a terrorist organization
"Chemicals, chemicals... I need chemicals!" - George Hayduke
"Wubbalubba dub-dub!" - Rick Sanchez
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Etaoin Shrdlu
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| Quote: Originally posted by Cou | | If only I knew anything about organic chemistry beyond functional groups... then perfumes made of various fruit-scented esters would be doable.
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If you are curious about perfume, try here. https://shop.perfumersapprentice.com/c-88-aroma-and-flavor-m...
Great selection of workhorse aroma chemicals available in small quantities, and run by one of the nicest people I've ever dealt with. If you find
yourself really interested, a lot of these can be converted into more exotic chemicals with methods accessible to the hobbyist.
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NexusDNA
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The chemistry of essential oils and artificial perfumes, by Ernest J. Parry (1922/4th ed.) is a good book for learning "osmophores"
and perfume making in general. A little old, but the chemistry is almost always right.
Arctander's Perfume and Flavor Chemicals is terrific. It's a joy to take a walk and know what molecules you smell along the way! Look
for it in references.
@ES, that's nice! If only I had something like it here... I'd probably waste all my chemistry savings on these!
[Edited on 22-3-2015 by NexusDNA]
Bromine, definitely bromine.
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aga
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Thanks Etaoin.
After today's bouts with H2S that was just the thing i needed.
Ordered their Aromachemical Kit to see if i can make any Better smells.
[Edited on 22-3-2015 by aga]
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Cou
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I know drug making is frowned upon here, but after looking through every law, just to be sure it's legal, you could sell legal highs from ordinary
ethanol to diethyl ether.
EDIT: scratch ethanol, because it has so many regulations
[Edited on 22-3-2015 by Cou]
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aga
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Scratch any mind-altering chemical idea unless you're prepared to make quite a lot of money for short time, then wind up either in prison or dead.
In that Game, there's the Law, then there's the Unlawful, both of which carry and use guns in their daily business.
[Edited on 22-3-2015 by aga]
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morganbw
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I think that drug making is frowned on from an individual perspective ( neutral from this forum ).
Cookery request are definitely a no go. Talk science, present references. etc... then all is open.
Young Cou, know that from my perspective that I worry about you and your train of thoughts.
Small steps please.
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morganbw
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| Quote: Originally posted by aga | Scratch any mind-altering chemical idea unless you're prepared to make quite a lot of money for short time, then wind up wither in prison or dead.
In that Game, there's the Law, then there's the Unlawful, both of which carry and use guns in their daily business. |
You beat me to it ( different words, same intent )
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aga
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Same attempt at guiding away from a path that leads mostly to imprisonment (60%) or death (39.99%).
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Chemosynthesis
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There is a legal reason most research chemical companies are not in the United States. Even if ostensibly legal, the civil liability in selling
something which, if sold for consumption is illegal, with zero toxicology testing... it can be high due to unethicality. Recent deaths have really
cast the research chemical arena negatively, and governments respond. Plenty of places selling legal highs have been raided in the US and UK, as well
as Israel. If you were to manufacture in any sizeable quantity, and if you were able to compete with Chinese and Indian chemists, which I doubt, I
expect you to get on someone's radar. And you could still face criminal prosecution.
Essential oils can be extremely expensive per mass as they are very dilute. Cornering a local market would be key, but this may preclude expansion.
I do think this is all probably dangerously close to chemistry for commercial purposes argued against in the guidelines, so I do find it interesting
being discussed.
https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=19...
[Edited on 22-3-2015 by Chemosynthesis]
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WGTR
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I live in Texas, and have run my own business before. Establishing one's self and making money takes hard work. It can take several years to gain
traction, and begin growing a business into a profitable enterprise. This is not because "the man" is trying to keep you down. It's just a fact of
life. It takes innovation and hard work, otherwise everyone else would be doing it. Capitalism is great. In my world, there's no such thing as
"easy money".
A lot of electronics hobbyists don't know chemistry. All they know is that a circuit board put into ferric chloride magically loses its copper, and
that after a while it doesn't work anymore. One idea that pops into mind is to see if local electronics stores or clubs would be interested in having
you make etchant for them. The stuff is usually expensive in local stores. It would be a small market for sure, but...baby steps...
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Pyro
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My friend who used to be a real estate broker pitched something similar to this to me a few months ago.
He had the opportunity to buy a business (including chems, formulas, client basis, rental of location,...) that made artisanal paint strippers, art
restoration stuff and furniture products, for 40 000$ because he knew the previous owner who was retiring.
He wanted to go 50-50 with me because he knew I was a ''chemistry guru'' as he called it and he thought that together, we could make a decent profit.
The only problem is that I don't have nearly that much money...
all above information is intellectual property of Pyro.  |
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aga
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Alarm bells ringing !
Business is a thing you do alone.
There is a saying: The only Ship that never sails is a Partnership.
Accept the fear and do it all yourself, avoiding the horrors of having Partners (in business).
Done that Twice, and lost a friend, plus a lot of time and money both times.
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j_sum1
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My intention is to slowly perfect a few of the syntheses and display techniques that I have been doing for my element collection. Then when I do
something in my lab I can make some spares and flog them off on eBay. If, say, I am producing and ampouling some bromine or chlorine, it will take
negligible more effort to do batches of twenty than it does to produce one. It is never going to be that profitable but if it gives the occasional
bit of spare change to help me buy the next reagent then it will be ok.
I have some ideas for gas discharge tubes, a handful of elements and metal crystals. I need to get better at working with glass and display resins.
Early days yet.
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Pyro
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Aga, that is one of the reasons I decined, another was that this guy may be a good friend and from a good family (He is of nobility) but he is
unpredictable!
50-50 can work though!
Right now I am in a 50-50 venture (boutique hotel and later private club on my boat) since my dad has had a brain hemorrhage and won't be back for at
least a year.
So I figured I may as well use the boat for making some money...
all above information is intellectual property of Pyro. |
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subsecret
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Pesticides.
Fear is what you get when caution wasn't enough.
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aga
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I only met 1 long term Partnership business that worked for a long time.
It *can* work, just that human nature generally means that it doesn't.
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j_sum1
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| Quote: Originally posted by aga | I only met 1 long term Partnership business that worked for a long time.
It *can* work, just that human nature generally means that it doesn't. |
I am not certain that is the meaning of a "Mom and Pop chemistry business" that the OP intended. 
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