Three Company Founders Disclose How They Discovered Their Niche

Small business takeaway:

• Chefman kitchen appliances, VenHub robot-manned stores, and Dolphin Air Fresheners found growth by spotting market demand from different angles: Commoditized product categories can still become distinctive through better design and an enhanced customer experience; automation creates value when it expands access to products and services, not just efficiency; and niche demand often surfaces in overlooked customer communities. The broader lesson: Durable opportunities emerge when founders translate specific insight into products and services customers already want but cannot easily find.

Starting a new business generally requires identifying an unmet need in the marketplace, something that the founders of Chefman kitchen appliances, VenHub robot-manned stores, and Dolphin Air Freshener have all accomplished.

All three approached their start-up businesses from different angles, with different levels of experience and with different goals in mind, but their stories highlight the value of parlaying industry knowledge and insights into customer demands and preferences.

Their endeavors come as Americans have increasingly embraced entrepreneurship in recent years. New business formations accelerated dramatically during the pandemic and have since remained at a high level, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In January of 2020, there were 282,320 business applications filed, according to the Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics reports. That number nearly doubled by the end of the year, when the pandemic was at its peak, and was still up about 86.3%, to 526,115 business applications in January 2026, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Chefman, CHEF iQ use aesthetics, technology to differentiate in the appliance market

Ralph Newhouse, the Founder and CEO of kitchen appliance brands Chefman and CHEF iQ, recognized that appliances were becoming increasingly commoditized and saw an opportunity to break the mold.

He went from starting a business that bought and sold excess inventory of kitchen appliances to launching a new brand into the market that combined sleek aesthetics with functionality and affordability. The Chefman line now includes dozens of products that reflect this mission, from kettles to air fryers.

“What we wanted to do was build art that you can proudly display on your countertop,” Newhouse said in an interview with CO—. “That’s been our North Star from Day 1 — creating something that was affordable, beautiful, and that really surpassed the expectation of the consumer.”

The line has been very successful, Newhouse said, and now he’s turned his attention to the next phase of his entrepreneurial journey. His newest venture, which remains within the realm of cooking gadgets, incorporates new technologies that seek to automate the cooking process.

Products in the new Chef IQ line include a connected thermometer and a mini-oven, which can be paired with the user’s mobile phone for remote monitoring. Plans call for the expansion of the line with products that use sensors to automate more of the cooking process, suggest recipes, and perform other functions in the kitchen.

VenHub creates automated retail stores using robotics

Shahan Ohanessian, Founder and CEO of VenHub, saw an opportunity to take retail automation to a new level. He and his team of Amazon veterans created an automated retail format called VenHub that operates using two robotic arms that retrieve items for customers, operating like a giant vending machine.

“Back in 2021, I went to my team, and I said, ‘Look, we’ve got smart cars, we’ve got smart homes, we’ve got smartphones, but we don’t have any smart retail,” he said in an interview with CO—. “I think it’s time for us to look at the retail world and reinvent it.”

While Amazon and a handful of other companies had been experimenting with cashierless stores — notably Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, which the company deployed at its Amazon Go convenience stores — VenHub has taken automation to the next level. The company’s Smart Stores can operate 24/7 without the need for human intervention, other than restocking the shelves. Shoppers simply place their orders from a mobile device, then retrieve them from a dispensing window in the front of the store.

VenHub’s business model calls for other businesses to acquire the individual VenHub store units, which they then operate with support from VenHub. The units could be used as small convenience stores in public parks or building lobbies, for example, or to showcase a manufacturer’s products in any public area.

In May, VenHub opened a second, larger production and assembly facility in Las Vegas that expands its capacity to manufacture VenHub Smart Stores at scale.

“With demand growing, new partnerships taking shape and our footprint expanding, this facility gives us the capacity and power to assemble and deploy our Smart Stores faster,” said Ohanessian.

[Read more: VenHub Founder on its Robotic, Employee-Free Retail Stores —and Empowering —Entrepreneurs]

Reddit searches dig up an opportunity for Dolphin Air Fresheners

Riley Bates, Founder of Dolphin Air Freshener, wasn’t seeking to start her own business —she was just looking for a dolphin-shaped car air freshener she remembered from her childhood.

Several years ago, she had bought the air fresheners at her local Carquest auto parts store/service center, but the retailer no longer carried them, and she could not find them listed by any online sellers.

Her search led her to Reddit, where she came across several other users of the online discussion platform who were also looking for the distinctive air fresheners. Unable to find any retailers that were selling the product, Bates decided to restart the business herself. Thus began her business relationship with Reddit, which she has been using to market the air fresheners, survey customers about ideas for new products, and obtain constructive feedback on her efforts.

“Since I got the idea for the Dolphin Air Freshener business from those on Reddit, I figured it would be the best platform for me to start advertising on,” Bates said in an interview with CO—.

Bates continues to pursue her career as a financial adviser but maintains her Dolphin Air Freshener business on the side, hoping to reach more customers by targeting her advertising to reach Reddit’s specific interest groups, including people who live near the ocean, for example, and those with a specific interest in dolphins.

Reddit users have also provided valuable feedback, Bates said. For example, some users were asking about a pink version of the dolphin — she launched the company with the blue version she remembered seeing in the past — and that led her to expand her line into several new colors, each with its own distinct scent.

[Read more: Reddit Exec on How the Platform is Fueling Small Business Growth with Organic Opportunities to Connect with Customers]

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

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