“Emotional” business

A pan-Ukrainian company providing “queuing” services may soon appear. This year’s admission campaign showed that demand for this previously unknown service is high among Ukrainians. Moreover, this rather profitable business doesn’t require special investments and supplementary production expenses. As an MBA student, the author of the “queue” service idea Andrii Matiashevych says, he spent only a thousand hryvnias to organize his business. An hour of “queue” service costs 39 hryvnias. So it’s not difficult to calculate that the investment has already been made up. Twelve couriers were “on duty” every day and even at night near each admission commission, says Kateryna Kyryliuk, a manager of the capital’s bureau of “queue” services. Moreover, for the several months of its existence the bureau already conquered its own loyal customers, including lawyers, accountants, and entrepreneurs. But skeptics are confident that this original business idea will not survive, as live lines will be replaced by electronic ones soon. The latter are used in many consulates already.

However, as it turned out, the “queue” service is not the only innovative business idea of enterprising Ukrainians. Some compatriots invented equally original ways to make honest and good profits.

PEOPLE FOR RENT COST 100 HRYVNIAS PER HOUR

“Are you lonely? You have no companion for a walk tonight or to have a pleasant conversation with? We’ll help you find a friend, a girlfriend, a wife or even a child for an hour or even the weekend,” this announcement has recently appeared on one of Kyiv’s Internet-portals.

The capital’s new service agency offers renting a companion to go shopping, a child for a walk in the park, or a handsome bridegroom you can boast of before friends and family, or even a father for your child.

This “ideal life” service costs only 100 hryvnias per hour. However, this is just the minimal service cost, not including the whole package of an “ideal companion” like a bouquet of flowers, an elegant expensive costume, taxi, eating out in a cafe or toys from the father of your child. You’ll have to pay for all this additionally.

The agency guarantees confidentiality and appropriate performance of the required role. Semi-professionals provide the service: students and former students of drama schools. If something goes wrong because of the object you rented, the agency is obliged to refund the money. Even African men are offered for those interested in exotics.

It’s interesting that the service “father for rent” is the most popular. “This service is highly demanded. Often children need a father to go to school, talk to friends. Single mothers contact us several times a month,” says Vitalii Vlasenko, head of the agency.

International examples are even more outrageous. The Portuguese Carlos Gil offers to fulfill your promises for 2,500 dollars. The man helps infirm, sick, or simply lazy people to go on pilgrimage to holy places. Twice a year the Portuguese walks for two weeks, covering the 160 kilometers to the Christian Temple of Virgin Mary to voice the prayers and wishes of his “customers.”

The American Tania Cowher offers the service “popularity for rent” for those dreaming to live a celebrity lifestyle. Through her website one can order a group of journalists or photographers for some time who will follow you as a real Hollywood star. Afterwards you are given pictures, videodiscs and a glossy magazine cover with your “celebrity” picture.

EXPRESS-MATCHMAKERS MAKE A LOT OF MONEY

Another Kyiv agency offers to quickly find an optimal partner at an express dating party for lonely people who dislike the idea of renting a partner. “Your own search can take you a few months or even years,” convince the speed-dating organizers, “But with our assistance you’ll meet 10 people of the opposite sex during one night, saving time and money.”

The agency takes 200 hryvnias for their service with the participation of one person in one party. The cost includes, according to organizers, hiring an experienced master of ceremony, non-alcohol drinks (coffee, tea, water), and a possibility to get contact information about the person you liked, provided that the person’s reaction to you is adequate.

The agency doesn’t guarantee that the customer will find a companion for sure. However, studies cited on the company’s website say that chances are fifty-fifty. Only half of the speed-dating participants leave the game with the potential partner.

However, even the absence of an absolute guarantee doesn’t scare Kyivites away from their participation in speed-dating. “I didn’t find a partner. But this hour of interesting and dynamic meetings and positive impressions is worth 200 hryvnias,” Yulia, one of the speed-dating participants, told The Day.

It’s possible that soon this kind of business will become very popular not only in Kyiv, as the rhythm of modern life leaves almost no time for personal life, and it’s not always easy to approach a person you like and get acquainted outside, in public transportation or elsewhere.

WEDDING WITNESSES — STILL UNORGANIZED BUT PROFITABLE

A rather profitable network of wedding witnesses for rent works in the capital too. The price of a bridesmaid (mostly girls are in demand at Ukrainian weddings) consists of several parts: the ransom (from 500 hryvnias) and hourly pay (130 hryvnias per hour for simply staying at the wedding ce-remony, and 150 hryvnias if the rented bridesmaid is supposed to entertain guests in addition).

However, despite the apparent profitability, girls don’t hurry to unite for an organized business, 19-year old Alla, the youngest bridesmaid, tells The Day. “You’ll have to pay for advertisement, and there is a big risk to buy a pig in a poke,” the girl gives reasons for her viewpoint. “And the ‘friends’ scheme we use today actually excludes the cases when a customer refuses to pay.”

Although the girls don’t work together, they know almost all their competitors, as they say, “by sight.” According to Alla, over three dozen bridesmaids for rent work in the capital. She’s the youngest, and the oldest girl she has heard of is 35 years old.

The girls always have customers and good profits. During the wedding season there are two orders per week on average, Alla continues. So the ballpark minimal wage of a bridesmaid for rent is 6,000-8,000 hryvnias per month. The girls don’t have many expenses: they should have a few decent — cocktail or evening — dresses, cosmetics, and good diction. Her “well hanged tongue” brought Alla to the rental wedding business, the girl told The Day. During one of the weddings, where she was a normal bridesmaid, the toastmaster noticed the sociable girl and offered the chance to make some money. So in a week she got a call with the question “Are you a bridesmaid for rent?” Afterwards satisfied brides advertised Alla themselves.

FROM 500 TO 1,000 HRYVNIAS “HANG” ON BALCONIES EVERY MONTH

As it turned out, one can earn in Kyiv even by renting… apartment balconies. Resourceful businesspeople invented a new way to earn money bringing together an advertiser who needs an advertisement area and apartment owners whose balconies are seen by many people every day.

This business doesn’t require specific material investments, one only needs negotiation skills. It’s also not so difficult to find an advertiser interested in such a service. Hairdressers, various workshops, Internet clubs or shops located nearby can be interested in this way of promoting their services.

On average, the price for an advertisement place in the capital ranges from 500 to 1,000 hryvnias per month (the price depends on the balcony’s location). The balcony’s owner gets 100-200 hryvnias, the rest goes to the “diplomat.”

No doubt, this kind of service is in demand, since one can already see such objects in the capital’s streets.