14 DAY TRIAL // Robert Samuels, founder of the unexpectedly successful business Same Ole Line Dudes, makes $1,000 (nearly €900) a week sitting around doing nothing. The same goes for his team.
Well, they're not really doing anything. They're waiting in line. What for? Well, for tickets to Broadway shows, the latest gadget or gizmo to hit the market, even delicacies that aren't exactly easy to come by.
This one time, he made $1,000 in just 48 hours, waiting in line for an iPhone 6s, Robert Samuels told Salon in an interview. Not bad, right? In fact, it's more than some people make in an entire workweek.
As for where the money comes from, you'd better hold on to your hats for this one: people are paying Robert Samuels and his team of professional line-sitters to wait in line in their place.
The entrepreneur charges $25 (about €22) per line-sitter for the first hour of waiting, and then $10 (roughly €9) for each additional half an hour. It might not sound like much, but it adds up.
“Whether it's iPhones, the latest Air Jordans, or the hottest Broadway tix in town, Same Ole Line Dudes, understands your wants & needs and is here to help.”
“We even go above and beyond with our Delivereach premium service by not just waiting, but including purchase & delivery and even shipping if you're out of state!” reads the business's description.
Waiting in line is surprisingly strenuous work
There's a reason people are paying New York entrepreneur Robert Samuel and his line-sitters to take their place waiting for tickets to one event or another, or for things they desperately want to buy.
Let's be honest here, waiting in line is pretty darn annoying, especially if the waiting adds up to dozens of hours. Then, there's the issue of comfort, especially if the weather is bad.
So, as hard to believe as this might be, waiting in line is actually strenuous work. In fact, it's safe to say this profession isn't for the feeble or for those who are easily spooked by nasty weather.
“I've sat outside in rain, sleet, snow, hot weather, very freezing cold weather,” says Same Ole Line Dudes employee Adonis Porch. So, yes, these guys really deserve the money they're getting.
If you have a couple of minutes to spare, check out the video below to learn more about Same Ole Line Dudes, New York's only professional line-sitting service.
