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The 5 Worst Business Ideas (That Somehow Succeeded)

They Said It Couldn't Be Done

We present five business visionaries who refused to listen when people told them their ideas were lousy. Each had to endure noxious levels of naysaying as they nurtured their quirky ideas into thriving operations.

For some reason, people are much more willing to criticize than encourage -- and that can be a drag on the entrepreneurial spirit. Ignoring the nattering nabobs of negativity is as much of a challenge as finding funding, staffing, or marketing. And it's just as critical.

Passion and persistence are the key to entrepreneurial success. If you've got an outrageous business idea that everyone tells you is bound to fail, take inspiration from these true believers who flouted conventional wisdom to make their startup dreams come true.

1. A Rocky Concept: The Pet Rock

In 1975, the United States had entered a recession, while the Arab Oil Embargo the previous year had tripled energy prices. With the nation hunkering down with a new sense of austerity, advertising executive Gary Dahl became a millionaire selling something perfectly useless: the Pet Rock.

The Pet Rock may have been useless, but it was also adorable. It came nested in a cardboard crate with breathing holes, with a training manual that included tips for teaching the rock commands such as "sit" and "stay." Sales of the rocks made Dahl a millionaire.

"In a tough economic environment, spending the equivalent of seven gallons of gas to buy a Pet Rock was not a completely rational decision. And bringing the Pet Rock to market in that environment -- and pricing it at four bucks -- definitely took some chutzpah," says Timothy G. Wiedman, asst professor of management and HR at Doane College in Crete, Nebr.

2. A Fat-Headed Idea: Fatheadz

Rico Elmore is a big guy. At 6'3" and 300 pounds, he could never find sunglasses wide enough for his head. He saw a market opportunity but others scoffed. "I knew I had an idea that would be something people would appreciate. I knew I wasn't the only person who couldn't find eyewear to fit," Elmore says.

He spent his evenings tinkering with designs and materials in his living room. In 2005, after two years of work, he had his first pair of Fatheadz sunglasses ready to sell. Finding retailers willing to take a gamble and able to showcase his limited product line presented another challenge.

Fatheadz sold $2 million worth of eyewear in 2010 and, if you still think sunglasses for fat heads have limited appeal, try this on for size: Elmore just inked a deal with Walmart.

3. Saving Money and Trees: UsedCardboardBoxes.com

When Marty Metro quit his IT consulting job to sell used boxes, his first go was a flop. "Buying something for a dime and selling something for a dollar makes a whole lot of sense on paper, but not when you have to pay for insurance, employees, retail space, truck drivers, and advertising," Metro says. He accrued $300,000 in debt and folded the company in 2005.

But he couldn't let go. One venture firm ponied up enough cash to test a different model, although, Metro says, "People would say, 'Not only is it a dumb business idea, but you've already proven it doesn't work." But in the first two months, UsedCardboardBoxes.com sold more than the original company had in a year.

Nine years later, UsedCardboardBoxes.com sells millions of used boxes, serving customers ranging from college students to Walmart. The company buys boxes by the truckload from large companies and repackages them for do-it-yourself movers and professional moving companies. Boxes may have been used once or they may be new factory misprints, overruns, or returns. Metro estimates that his company has saved over 50,000 trees.

4. When Nature Calls, They Answer: DoodyCalls

In 1999, Jacob D'Aniello heard an interview with a professional pet poop remover and realized that the guy was making more money than he was. A year later, the management consultant founded DoodyCalls. "I wanted to take a step back and turn it into a real business, bringing a new level of sophistication and branding to it," D'Aniello says.

People who are too busy to pick up after their pets can pay $15 to $20 a week, and the company recently expanded to include kitty litter services. DoodyCalls also serves commercial properties, apartment communities, and home owner associations.

"We take a whimsical approach to every marketing tactic and campaign, and it works like a charm," D'Aniello says. DoodyCalls now comprises one company-owned unit and 48 franchises in 22 states. The company claims to scoop more than 3 million poops a year.

Pets don't stop pooping in a recession. The company's annual revenue for 2010 was $1.13 million, up almost 8 percent from 2009.

5. Hanging Ten in the Heartland: Surf Ohio

Growing up in landlocked Ohio in the 1960s, raised on the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean, Ron Kaplan was fascinated by California surf culture. In high school, he began screen-printing T-shirts with original designs with sunsets, beaches, and surfers.

As a sophomore at Ohio University, Kaplan was designing and printing shirts for a local shop. To take people's minds off the Great Blizzard of 1978, he suggested spoofing surfing contests with the tagline Surf Ohio, which Kaplan thought was "strong, memorable, and funny as hell." The shop owner disagreed and refused to let Kaplan use his stock, so he bought 60 tees and printed them in his parents' basement. The T-shirts sold out.

But Surf Ohio was far from an overnight success. Over the next four years, Kaplan worked a series of jobs while producing an annual Surf Ohio design, founding his own company in 1982. Today, he sells online and licenses his designs for products sold around the world.

Wireless Business Solution Zee Tawasha