How hard is it to literally make money out of thin air? Not that hard actually, according to Antoine Deblay, a 22-year-old communication student from Montcuq, France, who was nice enough to chat with us over email. Over last summer, Deblay came up with the simply genius idea to sell Air de Montcuq by taking notice of the “reputation of Montcuq, and the reaction of people when they learn that someone lives in Montcuq… the idea came to me. Why not sell the Air de Montcuq?” You see, “Montcuq” in French sounds very similar to “mon cul,” which means “my ass.” Imagine someone saying, “What? You live in my ass? Ooh you live in Montcuq, I get you.” So you can see why this humorous product, the “air of my ass,” became popular overnight. “I wanted to make a clean product that is not vulgar. What people like is the pun “Air Montcuq,” Deblay told us.
The success of Air de Montcuq is possible in part by the awesome crowdfunding sources we have today, which other young entrepreneurs should be jumping all over after reading this. “The first challenge was to raise funds to start the project,” said Deblay. Air de Montcuq raised €810 in 30 days, just over $1100 dollars, on the European crowdfunding site Kiss Kiss Bank Bank. “It is thanks to crowdfunding that I could do this project… I described my idea of selling Air de Montcuq and what I would do with the money raised- the creation of the website and also the first air box (empty box, printing).” With some clever marketing, it’s enough said it seems. Now for €5.50, or about $7.50, you can buy a nicely designed tin of Air de Montcuq, add another €5 for shipping to the U.S. Along with the help of a media buzz, in the first three weeks Air de Montcuq received over a thousand orders, meaning Deblay made himself a few dollars straight hustlin’.
What does he tell other young entrepreneurs looking to make a few dollars with a good idea? “I did not have much experience, but it is necessary to believe in your projects, even the wildest.” Honestly, take it from the 22-year-old that sold air for thousands of dollars, believe in your wildest ambitions. When asked what other neat novelties Deblay might create for us next, he responded,
“I have new ideas in mind I’d like to achieve in the near future, but for now I am focusing on my studies that are finishing soon.”
Don’t mind if you do, Antoine. Coming soon, NextShark presents “Air de L.A.,” a sampling of the finest city smog from the 405, the best of the West Coast, guaranteed…
