After a night out, some people might think of indulging in pizza or fries to help with the alcohol intake, or maybe just making sure to have painkillers ready for the hangover.
However, one man’s post-party idea turned into a profitable business venture. While side gigs like DoorDash deliveries can supplement income, his innovative thought evolved into a much more lucrative opportunity, netting him nearly $72,000 in just a mere six weeks.
Bailey Page from Queensland conceived his business idea after he found himself stranded with a dead phone following a night out in 2020, making it impossible to call a taxi.
Having to walk home sparked the idea of a solution for phone charging that didn’t involve finding a plug or carrying a bulky charger.
This was Paige’s inspiration for creating a portable, wireless phone charger that could be easily carried without taking up much pocket space during a night out.
Remarkably, after he returned home, he held onto his idea. He began conducting online research, but couldn’t find anything that fit his vision.
Determined to succeed, he invested all his savings into developing his idea, all while being a third-year university student.
Teaming up with a manufacturer on e-commerce platform Alibaba over nine months, Page developed a wireless charger that could attach to a phone, with the Zip Zap website facilitating the power supply.
The charger is reusable and can be recharged within two hours, ready for use again.
Balancing his studies with business creation, Paige shared his experience with the Courier Mail: “My third year essentially, I just had to focus on getting uni complete while I did my studies.
“It was just a lot of late nights and weekend work to really cover up on what I couldn’t do through the week when I was at uni. I thought to myself, you know what, if I failed, I at least had a go.
“I always encourage young people just to have a go. You have to put a plan on paper. It’s always good to get outside eyes looking in and giving you feedback. You can never fail with starting and the biggest hurdle is actually just starting.”
The late nights and arduous work paid off, as Paige’s risk turned into a thriving business with his invention laying the groundwork for his company, Zip Zap Chargers, allowing him to regain his investment and more.
Within the first six weeks, Zip Zap generated nearly $72,000 and sold out its initial batch of chargers within two weeks.
He then surpassed his goal of selling 2,000 chargers in a year, with the business continuing to expand.