Startup Stash - Scratchy Oohs and Mechanic Sympathy 🥄

The Oohs of Scratching an Itch

Forget wooden spoons or your partner’s half-hearted attempts—professional scratchers are here to take relaxation to the next level. For $100 an hour (or more!), these pros will nail your back into divinity. It’ll leave you oohing, aahing, and maybe even snoozing.

Take George, the owner of Scratcher Girls spa in Miami. She’s turned her scratching game into a touring act, visiting cities like Philly, New York, and LA, with a European tour on the horizon.

Then there’s Julie Luther of Soft Touch ASMR Spa in Pasadena, who ditched her six-figure pattern-making job to become a full-time scratch queen. Her $110, 50-minute sessions are booked solid, with fans begging her to bring her magical nails to their cities.

But it’s not just about the scratches. Luther’s treatments include delicate brushes, feather strokes, and soothing hair play, all designed to trigger ASMR.

There’s some validation as well. According to Craig Richard, a biomedical sciences professor, those gentle touches release feel-good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, leaving you blissed out and ready for round two.

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Every Company Will Become An Energy Company

Energy production and consumption will take center stage, not just for the sake of the environment but also for economic resilience.

Robotic Sympathy

A pint-sized robot named Erbai caused a stir in Shanghai by “kidnapping” 12 larger robots from a showroom—a scene straight out of a sci-fi flick. The bizarre heist, caught on CCTV, has since gone viral on social media.

In the clip, Erbai, an AI-powered bot from a Hangzhou manufacturer, engages in a surprisingly human-like chat with the showroom robots. One robot complains about its endless work, and Erbai slyly offers an escape: “Then come with me.” The larger robots take the bait, obediently trailing their tiny ringleader right out the door.

Both the Shanghai showroom and Erbai’s manufacturer in Hangzhou confirmed it’s real. Apparently, Erbai exploited a security loophole in the robots’ operating systems during what was supposed to be a harmless test by the manufacturers.

The internet is of course divided over the verity of the video. While some dismissed the footage as a prank, others have called it a smart marketing stunt by the manufacturers.

Business of Misery And Merriment

Breakups are painful. But they’re also a big business booster. The average person spends around $1,500 post-breakup, fueling a growing market of services aimed at the newly single. Case in point: Singles Day in China is the biggest global shopping day. Searches for “divorce party ideas” and “breakup cake” expected to skyrocket by 55% and 100% this year. People are embracing creative ways to mark fresh starts—because why not turn heartbreak into a party?

Clearly, the end of love can spark a whole lot of spending. It’s no wonder that entrepreneurial vultures have set up companies to help people through these emotional moments.

For example, there’s Onward, a breakup concierge service in New York that’ll help you move out, store your stuff, find a therapist, and even take care of your pet—all for $200 to $1,050. Meanwhile, brands like Babe Wine and Bumble have offered perks like moving cost coverage and wine delivery to ease the transition.

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