Sometimes the most bonkers business ideas are the ones that make you rich.
Meet Mathew Carpenter, the Australian genius who turned petty revenge into a goldmine. His weapon of choice? Glitter. His target market? Anyone with enemies. His price point? A modest $10 AUD per glitter-filled envelope of chaos.
The Birth of Beautiful Revenge
ShipYourEnemiesGlitter.com wasn't born from a Harvard MBA case study or a Silicon Valley think tank. It was pure, unfiltered "what if?" thinking that most of us dismiss as too ridiculous to pursue.
The concept was deliciously simple: Send an envelope stuffed with glitter to someone you dislike. When they open it, BOOM – instant karma in sparkly form. It's like biological warfare, but prettier and significantly less illegal.
When Crazy Goes Viral
Here's where the story gets insane. This "joke" business exploded faster than a glitter bomb in a wind tunnel:
Over 2,000 orders in 24 hours
$20,000 AUD in sales on Day One
Media attention that money can't buy
Carpenter was so overwhelmed he had to process hundreds of revenge packages while probably questioning his life choices and finding glitter in places glitter should never be.
The Million-Dollar Exit
But wait, it gets better. After the viral explosion, Carpenter sold this glittery empire for $85,000 USD. Not bad for a business model that could be explained in one sentence: "We mail glitter to people you don't like."
The Golden Lessons in This Sparkly Mess
1. Crazy Ideas Can Catch Fire Sometimes the most unexpected concepts grab people's attention because they're so wonderfully absurd. A glitter revenge service taps into humor and emotion – two powerful psychological triggers that make people act impulsively.
2. Humor Sells Like Hotcakes People love a good laugh, especially when it involves someone else's misfortune. The comedic value of imagining your enemy finding glitter everywhere for the next six months was worth $10 to thousands of people.
3. Viral Marketing Is Pure Gold Once orders started rolling in, the business generated massive media attention. Every news story was free advertising, turning a silly concept into a cultural phenomenon.
4. Timing Is Everything Carpenter launched during the golden age of viral internet businesses. The world was ready for unconventional business models, and he delivered exactly what the moment demanded.
5. Know When to Cash Out Sometimes the smartest move is the quick exit. Carpenter took his $85,000 and ran, proving that even strange ideas can be flipped for serious profit.
Your Takeaway Action Plan
Next time you're brainstorming business ideas, don't be afraid to embrace the ridiculous:
Let your imagination run wild – The next big thing could be hiding in your most "stupid" idea
Test weird concepts quickly and cheaply – Carpenter's startup costs were basically zero
Embrace humor in your marketing – People remember what makes them laugh
Be ready to scale fast when something hits – Viral success waits for no one
Consider the exit strategy early – Sometimes selling at the peak is smarter than riding it out
The Bottom Line
Who knows? Your next million-dollar idea might be as simple as sending sparkles to annoy people. The key is having the courage to try it and the business sense to capitalize when it works.
Just remember to stock up on vacuum cleaners first. You're going to need them.
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