Aibu to tell BF his business idea is terrible

[LimeSegment]

I've been with my boyfriend for two years, we don't live together, we are in our 40s. Three months ago he quit his job. He had been unhappy in the job for a while, so that was fair enough. He planned to get another job, but instead had the idea to start a business. The "business" that he settled on is 3D printing. I've mentioned a few times that surely this is more of a side hustle, not something that can replace a full time job, but he just told me that he's "sure it's going to work".

First he made dog models, some were OK, some were really tacky and never would have sold. I tried to tell him this politely but he said some people might disagree (they wouldn't have).

Then he abandoned that idea and came up with a new idea that he's been keeping a secret from me. Last night he finally showed me. It's 3D printed characters that kids can paint, and he plans to sell them for £10+, along with t shirts with kids names on them. There are so many issues with this. You can't sell licensed characters, and there's better, cheaper (official) stuff available at the supermarket. Also kids shouldn't wear shirts advertising their names!

Parents wouldn't buy this. I'm a mum so I would know. He doesn't have kids. I tried to say a few nice things, because I know he wants me to support him and he'll be disappointed if I don't. But I want to tell him it's a shit idea, and he's wasted months on.

Tbh I feel like I've lost respect for him. He cannot possibly be this lacking in intelligence to think this is a great idea. He hasn't done any market research, even on me and I'm a mum and right there. What am I supposed to say? Aibu?

Aren’t these characters copyrighted, @Newbookandcupofcoffee?

It’s not just companies, 3d printed tat is everywhere and his competition will also dob him in. Some will be people who’ve invested a lot of time into finding their niche and have designed their own files etc and put effort into finishing their prints to a high standard, others will be people like your boyfriend, who go straight from printing a demo to “THIS IS MY NEW BUSINESS”

I have a family member and an acquaintance who is very similar, they genuinely their stuff is unique when everyone else knows they’ve just used freely available files and have joined the many other people selling the same 3d printed tat.

I’d question that the 3d printed character idea is actually his idea, and not something chat gpt or people in side hustle groups have suggested as easy ways to make money.

Chat gpt suggested the exact same idea to my brother, along with print on demand T-shirts (which ai has also generated the design) and the acquaintance followed a similar patterns too with chat gpt telling her easy ways to make money. My brother has dabbled in generating adult colouring books, novels, journals, health tracker work books, jigsaws, embroidery patterns, crochet patterns and he’s been going for two years and has made less than £20.

He thinks his stuff is unique and creative because he’s never bothered to look around at other people’s work and talent, the reason for that is he doesn’t actually have any creative passion, he thinks ai has given him a shortcut to be the best of the best and will not listen to human reasoning at all.

I do think your whole 'energy' around it sounds very negative though

I know, and that's what I'm struggling with. I know how I sound. But the fact is, there is nothing good to say about it. Believe me, before the idea was revealed, I wasn't hoping it was shit so I could rubbish it, I was praying it was an amazing idea.

To be fair to me, I have let him know my ideas that I think could help. Make a business plan, do research, get a job and make it a side hustle, or try making some things that are popular right now, like fidgets, clickers, cute articulated toys like dragons, kids potion kits and elf on the shelf accessories. None of that was listened to.

Someone bought my 6 year old a ‘colour your own model dinosaur’ and just googling it, it cost £2 from Home Bargains.

And don’t feel like you’re a snob op. It just means you may not be compatible. I am far too much into protecting finances for this not to be a big problem for me. I also did partly break it off with a guy when I was younger as we just had totally different levels of ambition, but the financial aspect does impact the relationship will likely do so when he starts running out of money. Eg he won’t be able to afford to go out for dinner with you

What kind of future do you see with this fella ?

If he is aiming any models made at children he will need to follow the legal safety standards, including testing and certification. If not he will have fun with trading standards, possible fines and imprisonment to join his copyright legal woes.

AI is the bloody worst for this sort of thing, it's the next get rich quick idea after mlms. So many people think they can generate a colouring book with AI, and sell it for £5, oh great I can sell millions of them. Somehow not realising no one would pay 5p for that. They could simply generate it themselves if they wanted.

Am I the only one who wants to see what these dog models look like.

This is an antiquated way of thinking. No one cares if you’ve been divorced and have kids - and you don’t have to settle for a looser.

Oh yeah I guess they are lol, I typed without even thinking of any of that 😅

Edit to say forget my idea 🤣

I run an art gallery and gift shop. We are at the more affordable end and sell some pretty bookmarks that are 3d printed. Probably £10 per month.

Several of our artists no longer really bother with Etsy as it's flooded.

Some prospects come in with absolute shite and think we should be grateful.

Intellectual property is a big issue.

Even our popular artists (where we sell £250 per month) tend to mix art with part time jobs

Here's one.

Of course you are right, I don't think having kids etc is a bad thing, but it makes things complicated, I'm just saying no one is perfect.

I think there's a bigger issue here than whether his business idea will actually work. He sounds like someone who gets excited about new ideas and just jumps straight in without much planning. I can understand how frustrating that must be if you're someone who prefers a more structured and realistic approach to things. Personally, I think partners should encourage each other's ambitions, even if they have doubts about a particular idea. That doesn't mean you can't be honest about the risks, of course. But if the way he approaches things is making you lose respect for him, perhaps you're simply not that compatible. Neither of you necessarily has to be wrong for that to be the case.

hahahha
Maybe it could be marketed as a Secret Santa present when you draw the name of someone who is a pain to work with

Keep schtum and let him get on with it. He hasn't asked for your advice because he doesn't want it. He is the drowning man clutching at straws. Perhaps he will come to his senses when he can't pay his bills while being knee-deep in weird dog shaped things.

Very few people are actually capable of running a successful business.

YANBU OP, there's so much tat about, no one wants more.

What was his job before he was made redundant?

perhaps you're simply not that compatible. Neither of you necessarily has to be wrong for that to be the case.

Yes, you are right.

Maybe you should encourage him to start a business in the area he actually has experience/expertise in. My husband had a period of terrible business ideas but did this in the end. It pays the bills today.

Even worse because I am quite minimalist, I extra hate things like that. So maybe he's right that I'm not a good person to ask.

He used to work in a shop.

Don't invest in his business and don't provide accommodation would be my thoughts. He may have to find out his ideas won't pay the bills

To be fair to him, my DD5 always wants to buy 3d printed tat whenever we go to any sort of 'fayre', and a LOT of it is rough looking (quality wise) where you can see the ridge lines, bobbles etc.. so unless it's just the picture, this looks really clean and smooth.

Dog's are not a bad idea either, because there is no limit to the shit people with dogs will buy, he could put the name of the dog on the bowl as extra personalisation if people were interested.

It's not a viable business, but it could be the start of a nice little side hustle?

Oh gosh. That really is terrible - it's not even proportional. I wouldn't pay £5 for that.

If his idea is to sell that on Etsy, or similar, he needs to really get a grip. The market is saturated with big TEMU sellers selling at a fraction of that price. And the shitty (sorry, but they are shitty) quality T-shirts with copyright characters on them are flooding places like Etsy.

Businesses when done properly are really expensive so set up. Even if he has the equipment, he needs insurance (and liability cover etc). He'd be looking at quite a significant loss in his first few months, possibly longer!

Any grown adult who thinks that is a worthwhile business idea has no clue and honestly, it would give me an ick. Even my 12 year old DD would look at that model and say that won't make any sales!

Tell him to print sets of scenery for warhammer games and dungeons and dragons. Ruins, trees, caves, dungeon walls and floors. Add some interesting points that could be central to the adventure - a waterfall into a pool, a cave with a hidden door, a bridge that can be split into 2 for a classic “bridge breaking” encounter. Etc.
Sell them in organised sets with a spray can of plastic primer so people can then paint them.

He could pair them with a one shot D&D adventure if he would be any good at writing one.

But that’s a side hustle, not a main job. I make about £400 a month profit on it and that’s just messing about posting them on Facebook.

Is he my exH. He sounds like my exH. He never learned and he never got a business started. It made him bitter. I'd see this as a big red flag. See what he does when the shortage of cash starts to bite....