9 Startup Ideas to Make $1M+ in 2024

Attach to a larger trend instead of educating the market.

Look for platform algorithm changes (LinkedIn video, YouTube monetization) or exploding search volume (AI automation) and build services that ride the wave.

Why: Founders already want the outcome; you just sell the shortcut.

"I'm looking for like a larger trend that I can attach myself to... you don't wanna ever educate the market."

Turn AI outputs into unlimited, zero-marginal-cost SKUs.

Use Midjourney → vectorizer → Shopify to create infinite SVG packs, or AI-generated thumbnails, then gate premium tiers behind email capture or subscriptions.

Why: Cost of goods approaches zero while catalog breadth becomes a moat.

"he basically has unlimited amounts of products or skews that he can sell... there's no real cost associated with it"

Anchor to the customer’s saved cost or LTV, not your effort.

Charge 10-20 % of quantifiable savings (e.g., $20 k if you save $200 k in labor) or 1-4 customer LTVs ($25 k each) to make ROI obvious.

Why: Price becomes trivial when framed against upside.

"if I'm gonna save these guys $200,000, how much can I realistically charge them?... 20 grand. That's the number."

Use the platform you’re servicing to acquire customers.

If selling LinkedIn services, post LinkedIn growth content; if selling YouTube thumbnails, scrape YouTuber emails and cold-email them with free samples.

Why: Demonstrates competence while harvesting intent where it already exists.

"you are doing your own channel... book an intro call... scrape every YouTuber's email address... cold email them"

Founder gives 1–2 hours/week; everything else is systematized.

Record one interview → scripts → AI drafts → offshore editing → scheduled posts; founder just mimics the recorded cadence.

Why: Reduces friction to near zero, making the sale a no-brainer.

"it's gonna take... two hours of your mental energy... We handle everything else"

Migrate platform followers to owned email lists for ‘schmuck insurance.’

Scrape Twitter/LinkedIn emails, validate, and sequence into newsletters so founders aren’t hostage to algorithm changes.

Why: Email is the only asset you control; platforms can de-platform overnight.

"Don't be a schmuck. Have an email list"

Re-segment horizontal software by niche to 10× value perception.

Instead of generic bookkeeping (Bench), offer ‘QuickBooks for SaaS,’ ‘QuickBooks for agencies,’ etc., with workflows and metrics tailored to the niche.

Why: Specificity lets you charge more and reduces competitive set.

"QuickBooks for X... Finalupe just raised $35 million... niched it down to D to C"

Build owned media first, then bolt on any product you want.

A newsletter, podcast, or YouTube channel becomes perpetual distribution; once you have gravity, you can launch services or SaaS at zero CAC.

Why: Distribution is the hardest part; owning it makes every future venture cheaper.

"I would pay $13,000 a month for the ability to have a YouTube channel... you have the rails, you can put whatever you want on it"