We think ‘Bananas Gone Wild’ beats Potato Parcel hands down in terms of most ridiculous business idea ever. But hey, what do we know – both services, started by Texas entrepreneurs, have proven to be insanely successful. While the latter involved sending people messages inscribed on raw potatoes, this newer venture is all about decorating bananas and selling them for $10 apiece.
Davonte Wilson, the brains behind Bananas Gone Wild, first came up with the idea during his stint as an electrocardiogram technician at a hospital. He became popular at the workplace as ‘that guy who draws funny faces on bananas’, with some co-workers going as far as to making fun of his bizarre hobby. But it’s Wilson who is laughing all the way to the bank now, as his business is apparently projected to earn him a whopping $100,000.
Wilson works out of his apartment, bringing bananas to life (not literally, of course) using markers, glitter, fake beards, eyeglass and moustache stickers, and other craft equipment. He then puts them up for sale on his website, BananasGoneWild.co. He also gives customers the option to build their own banana, by selecting the decorations themselves, starting at $9.99. They get to add a text of their choice, along with shapes, fonts, and clipart.
“It just gives the the banana a personality,” Wilson explained, speaking to NBC News. “I’ve always had a creative side. People would walk by my desk area and say, ‘What are you doing drawing on bananas? I kind of get made fun of.” He does admit that he started the business on a whim, and never expected it to be so overwhelmingly successful. “I’m in shock that you can just take something so simple and introduce it into the world and people love it,” he said.
As of now, Wilson works on about 75 bananas a day. Once he’s done he covers them them in plastic wrap and takes them to the post office to ship out to customers.
Wilson makes sure to point out that his creations are meant to be keepsakes or souvenirs, and his website explicitly states that the bananas are not meant to be eaten.
Six figures a year selling decorated bananas. I’m definitely in the wrong business.
