Risky Business: An Old Dog Learns a New Trick

Ingenious Disruptive Business Model

Reality TV Meets World's Oldest Profession; Thinking "Outside-the-Box"

Czech Your Wallet at the Door;  "Big Sister"  Debunks Diversification Theory's "Free Lunch" Monopoly; a Nobel Prize in the Offing?

Move over Tom Cruise! Lest anyone think America has the sole franchise on business innovation, the Czech Republic has just jumped the line. Talk about user generated content!!!! If you are looking for a new business model and some extra-curricular activity, you might want visit "Big Sister" in Prague. Not since Sergei and Larry came up with their astonishing search algorithm for google has a new business model evoked such a staggering reaction for its originality, creativity and execution. Who would have ever thought you could come up with a new idea for the world's oldest profession?

But two ingenious entrepreneurs came up with a real "hook". Meet Big Sister! Starting with a boutique hotel in 2004 located in the Smichov district of Prague, (Nádražní 46) the entrepreneurs remodeled it with exquisite taste (think Phillipe Starck decor), added 58 cameras throughout the rooms to capture all conceivable angles, add a baker's dozen or so of professional prostitutes. The basic idea is guys pay a nominal "door fee" (pimping is illegal in Prague) and sign a 2" thick legal release that permits them to be filmed in flagrante delicto; the 24/7 content is then streamed to the Big Sister website that charges $30 per month as a subscription fee not to mention the DVD business which is admittedly a little soft. Add chat rooms, a little social networking and we may have found web 3.0. The branding opportunites are limitless. Think of the franchise opportunites!

There is a really quirky (kinky?)  entry  for Big Sister    on wikipedia for its truly innovative  business model. Prostitution happens to be legal in the Czech Republic but, interestingly, pimping is not which leads to a chink in the "buy-side"  of the business model.  Voila-- a market opportunity for those who think outside-the-box so to speak.

Here's an excerpt from the wikipedia entry:

Big Sister is a brothel and associated voyeuristic paysite, located in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the only brothel where customers can use the women's services for free, subsidized by paying Internet viewers; live video and audio streams and archived videos of the activity in the brothel are available on the website for a fee.^[1] These subscription fees, as well as sales of DVDs of the recorded action, represent the company's main source of income. The produced video content contains coverage of the guests with the women, as well as amateur couples that come into the house, and coverage of the shooting of adult productions that take place in the house.

 You may want to check the website out for yourself but please read the warning notice carefully:

big warning: the Big Sister website is very graphic! you must be 18 years old at least and definitely not over 85 unless you check with your physician first!!!!!!!!! ah hell...look the URL up yourself on google

So here's their sales pitch as per the website:

Wife gone, girlfriend on holidays or you single? The boring and desperate times are over! BIG SISTER CLUB is the only place in the world, where YOU can get REAL SEX, anytime, with anyone and completely free of charge! With just one catch, ALL ON CAMS! We have guests from all around the world in the house every day to get sex for free or attend one of the world's first online swinger's parties! And all of that is broadcasted LIVE! Are you sure we haven't got YOU yet?

Better yet are the terms and conditions:

Terms and Conditions

This website is an adult entertainment and educational resource not designed to promote prurient interests. BigSister provides you with the best adult erotica

Now that's truly genius. An educational resource? I suspect government funding can't be far behind.  Well Tom Cruise's brief dabble with at-home prostitution industry certain enabled him to get into the college of his choice as immortalized in "Risky Business".  Remember  Rebecca De Mornay? Of course you do!  Here a cine-moment flashback:

I have long considered (well...actually since I heard about Big Sister)  launching an award show strictly for truly great business models and  innovations; the award itself would be known as the "Sticky". A big hats off to our friends at the Livermore Report www.livermorereport.com who turned me on to this little known jewel of business model.  Without question Big Sister will be first in line to receive the Life-Achievement Sticky Award should we move forward with the Stickies.