As I’ve mentioned before, the back burner of my brain churns out ideas for startups all the time. And, by and large, I don’t follow up on them myself, instead floating them out to would-be entrepreneurs I run across more likely to actually execute. Every so often, however, I come up with something really, remarkably good, something I’m tempted to hang onto myself. Such is the case with one business that popped out in conversation with my younger brother David a few years back, which has become a perennial favorite topic of late-night strategizing ever since. Realizing I’m far too deeply ensconced in Cyan and Long Tail to take advantage of it at any point in the next couple of years, however, I’m finally throwing it out in the hopes that someone will follow it through to untold billions.

By way of introduction, a quick question: what are the two things that everyone does regularly? Yes, you guessed it! People go to bars, and people get haircuts. Now, imagine if you will, bringing them both together. No, no, not by taking the easy way out with a combination salon & lounge, but rather with a bar you can go to with friends and cut each other’s hair!

Brilliant, I know, but it gets better! The Sip & Shave (as we’ve christened this baby) is the ultimate viral marketing concept. Imagine further that you head on out to the West Village branch for a few rounds of tequila and some turns with the scissors one weekday evening. Then imagine, the next day, heading in to work. “What the hell happened to your hair?” your colleagues would doubtless ask. “Why,” you’d reply, “we hit the Sip & Shave, of course.” Word about this baby would spread like wildfire.

Savvy entrepreneur as I am, however, I know that building a market for a new product or service from scratch can be remarkably tough. Take the world of fast food, where McDonalds didn’t really take off until competitors like Wendy’s and Burger King jumped in to help collectively redefine how the world overdoses on saturated fat. So, to that end, the plan would necessarily include also launching a couple of wholly-owned subsidiaries as apparent competitors (perhaps, say, the Shoot & Snip, and the Chug & Clip) to really get things rolling.

Just think of it! A business that capitalizes on people’s regular needs, with a built in viral marketing angle and a chance to build from scratch and then completely own a whole new market. Yes, kids, I’ve got this one all figured out. Take it and run with it if you’d like, though with only one small request if you do: grant me a lifetime tab and the first Flowbeed whack at your pate. Other than that, this sucker is all yours.