We’ve talked about this here before, but if you’re serious about making some money in a business, you could do an awful lot worse than pay attention to the needs and wants of the ‘grey’ market. It’s a demographic group which is growing, relatively affluent, and not prepared to accept the sort of products and services which have traditionally been offered to their age group in the past.

I recently read about Marie Kolstad, who became the oldest recipient of breast implants at 83. And she’s far from alone. Over 65’s now account for 10% of the clientele of cosmetic surgery clinics in the US, with over 700,000 procedures a year being performed. Cosmetic surgery is just one of many markets where the older generation are now spending serious money.

Don’t ignore the older generation. You could build an entire business around the ‘grey’ market or develop a version of your product of service which suits their needs and tastes. Either way, they have money to spend, and are happy to do so if they like what you have to offer.

If you have young children, you’ll know that they’re always on the look-out for the next cool party venue or theme. This one that we found in the United States, seems to fit the bill perfectly, and we haven’t seen anything like it here in the UK.

Make-A-Movie- Birthday Parties is a self-explanatory concept. The company arrive at the party with a pre-written script, costumes and camera equipment. Roles are allocated, the film is shot and then edited over the next week or so when it is delivered to the person holding the party. Revenue comes from both the booking fee and sales of the movie to party guests.

This seems like something you could copy anywhere. I’d imagine it would be incredibly popular. Equipment is cheap these days and the editing technology is at the hands of anyone with a PC. If you fancy yourself as the next Speilberg, but lack the budget, this could be something for you.

Entrepreneur Magazine recently identified three trends which new businesses would do well to consider…

1. The affordable splurge. While consumers still want designer brands, they are demanding deals. In the past five years, 73 new sample sale websites — like Gilt.com and HauteLook.com — have launched, selling luxury goods at a discount.

2. Personalised options. Consumers are more likely to spend if what they are buying has been tailored specifically for them.

3. Health and Eco- credentials. Consumers are increasingly willing to spend more money on their health and the environment, according to IBIS World data.

People are lazy. I know this because I am a person – and lazy! While price and quality are two key reasons why we choose one product or service over another, convenience is important for a lot of us. It explains why home shopping deliveries are becoming increasingly popular, and services like hairdressing, beauty therapy and tutoring have a large number of ‘we-come-to-you’ mobile operators making a good living. But here’s the question – might there be an opportunity for someone in your market to gain a competitive advantage by visiting customers in their homes?

Servemehere.com is a website which showcases dozens of different products and services which are available on a home visit basis – many of which you perhaps wouldn’t normally associate with this sort of delivery. Take a look. It could give you some inspiration.

The craze for selfies, which every self-respecting child and teenager is currently participating in, has created an unusual and unexpected side-effect – head lice are spreading at an alarming rate. The lice spread by contact – contact which is more prevalent than ever as kids squeeze together to get in the latest at-arms-length shot.

Now here’s the thing – treatments and remedies are unregulated and desperate parents will happily hand over large quantities of their hard earned money in exchange for a solution. The Lice Centre, based in Connecticut in the US charge $200-$500 for a house call. They now have 10 employees in 14 states. Turnover is in the millions.

Is this something you could do here in the UK? It’s not the most glamorous business in the world, but those yielding the biggest profits rarely are.