Own business: how to find business ideas

We are surrounded by brilliant business ideas.  However, sometimes it is difficult to notice them. That's right - pay attention. You don't have to be incredibly creative or original (though great if that's the case) to find good business ideas. You just need to pay attention to what is happening around you. how to find business ideas.

Once you get into the habit of looking for business ideas, it will be hard for you to stop. And soon you will find an idea that is right for you.

Finding new business ideas is easy

The good news is that we are surrounded by business ideas. Find a problem to solve and enough people willing to pay you to solve it, and you will have a business idea. And the "problem" does not have to be huge and insurmountable. If you can make the experience faster, cheaper, more enjoyable or more efficient, chances are there is an opportunity for business.

We think that once you start the following exercises, you will be pleasantly surprised how the experiences, conversations, actions and skill sets come together to ignite ideas. In several stages, we ask you to make different lists. You can write them on cards or in a notebook, or track them in a memory card application.

Finding new business ideas is difficult

Perhaps the hardest part about finding ideas is that we tend to interfere with ourselves. Yes, any idea can be stupid, difficult or even impossible, and the fact is that the vast majority of your thoughts will not be an "instant bestseller". But keep in mind that it doesn't mean you have to throw everything away. If you give the idea a chance, you may find that it is not as complicated or stupid as you thought. And even the most absurd idea can carry the seeds of something better.

And don't let "it's already done" stop you. You can always take an existing idea and give it your own look. For example, supermarkets have been around for more than a century, but that hasn™t stopped Whole Foods or Trader Joe™s from achieving huge success.

When it comes to generating ideas, volume is important. Yes, most of your thoughts will not fly and will not bring you millions, but this is normal. The more ideas you come up with, the more chances you have to find at least one or two that are feasible and exciting. So when you move on to the idea generation stage, stay open to all the ideas you get, no matter how eccentric or non-standard.

Step 1. Start with what ignites you

You can use the proverb "know yourself" here. It is more difficult to implement an idea in a geometric progression if you do not burn it. Spend some time learning your hobbies and you will have a better chance of coming up with ideas that really work.

Let's make some lists.

What are you doing well?

Perhaps you are a passionate master of the word. You may enjoy talking to strangers, making presentations, or giving speeches. And maybe everyone calls when their computer stops working will be you. .

Understanding and evaluating your abilities can help guide you in the direction of interesting business ideas that (bonus) you will really like. Remember to be impartial. Being able to handle numbers doesn't necessarily mean you have to start your own accounting business (although it is possible). This can be useful for businesses such as tutoring, or it can mean that when you start your business, you have to be a "number" person.

If a brilliant idea is not immediately obvious, it's okay. After all, we are still in the first stage. In the meantime, just start making a list of what you love to do.

What do you do for fun?

Just because you're passionate about a particular hobby, sport, or other activity doesn't mean you have to try to make a living from it. There is nothing wrong with doing something just because you like it, and not all hobbies and interests will work well (or deliver as much fun) if you try to turn them into making money.

However, if you start doing something for fun, it can give you a big advantage. It is definitely easier and more fun to understand the smallest details of what you are sincerely passionate about. You may already have a community of like-minded enthusiasts that you can turn to for ideas and feedback.

It can be knitting, sculpting, making your own tea mushroom or playing in the Saturday football league - a fair game. Make a list of your favorite hobbies and activities.

What topics do you care about?

Think of topics you just can't get enough of. Maybe you can't get enough of 19th century British literature. Maybe you could talk all day about brewing, Italian sports cars or astrophysics. Or maybe you are obsessed with social justice or environmental issues.

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Your favorite topics may not lead directly to viable business ideas, but paying attention to them can give you an idea of ‹‹what you love and why you love it, keep your mind active, and come up with brand new ideas.

You probably already understand. Make a list of topics that interest you.

Step 2. Look for problems to solve

Every successful business solves a problem. In search of ideas, start looking for problems (there are many to choose from) and think about how you could solve them.

What do people complain about?

Let's face it: people like to complain. There is a limit to what you can do with the weather or the state of the economy, but if you keep a close eye on what people are complaining about, you may come across some interesting business ideas.

Parents complain about the need for preschool child care. Colleagues complain that no one can agree on what the temperature should be in the office. Your roommate complains that she does not receive the allowance she deserves. In each of these situations, there are seeds of business ideas.

Every time you hear someone complain about something, write it down.

What social, economic or environmental problems does the world face?

Affordable housing. Access to health care. Climate change. Racial inequality.

There are many problems in the world, and they all represent opportunities for the right person with the right ideas. Tesla is a great example. Elon Musk realized that we could no longer rely on fossil fuels, and created the first fully electric car that used lithium-ion batteries. He also invested heavily in solar energy.

Make a list of "big" problems. Pay special attention to those that particularly concern you.

Step 3. Give yourself a new experience

You can come up with a million dollar idea while sitting on the couch and watching the latest episode of your favorite series. But you are much more likely to come up with innovative ideas - on the couch or somewhere else - if you are constantly creating a new experience for yourself.

This step is not so much about lists as about creating new prospects.

Do something new

If you've ever wanted to try your hand at beekeeping, hip-hop dancing or scrap metal sculpture, why not give it a try? Don't worry about turning it into a honey or dance career. Just try it because it's something new, something else. It will challenge you, increase your self-confidence, introduce you to new ideas and new skills, and can throw up some business ideas.

Move to new places

And by new places I mean new, unfamiliar places. If you have the opportunity to learn about a new culture or language, do so. But if you don't, look for ways to learn something new around the house.

Visit museums and galleries of artists you have never heard of. Go to a music genre festival you know nothing about. If you are a citizen, go on a hike out of town. If you live in the suburbs, sign up for a tour of street art in the nearest big city. Discovering new places helps to fill your creative potential and increases the likelihood that you will come up with truly innovative ideas.

Meet new people

If you're an extrovert, you're probably already doing it. If you're an introvert, it can be a little trickier, but try it anyway. It will pay off.

Start conversations with strangers on trains and in shops. Attend meetings of people who share your interests. If you are attending a course or seminar at the "Do something new" stage, make it a rule to talk to at least one new person in each class. Don't know what to talk about? Tell her that you are looking for problems to solve a la Stage 2, and see what they share.

The more people you meet and talk to, the more ideas you can come up with.

Step 4. Develop good ideas and habits

I hope now you get acquainted with new ideas, people and activities, and you have lists of things that you like and what you are good at. It's time to train your brain to become a machine for generating ideas.

Meditate

This may seem a bit illogical. After all, meditation is the art of not thinking what sounds like the opposite of coming up with business ideas.

But remember how we talked about how important it is not to disturb yourself?

Meditation helps you in this by clearing the mind of distractions, including all these annoying reasons why X, Y or Z do not work or are impossible. You will be more likely to be inspired if you regularly cleanse and calm your mind.

It doesn't have to be a huge commitment. Even five minutes a day is enough to open a new perspective and give your ideas the opportunity to develop.

Make lists of ideas every day

Take 3-5 minutes each day and write down as many business ideas as possible. Force yourself to make a longer list each time. Ideas should not be practical or even physically possible. Here it is important to develop the habit of writing down as many ideas as possible.

This is another way to go your own way. When you focus on presenting your ideas, you will not think about all the reasons why they will not work. In addition, you will have a habit of coming up with ideas.

Step 5. Put everything together

Okay, now is the time to start connecting literally everything. You can use your memory card software or a pen and paper. You can write each idea on a separate card or take a large piece of articaler and display everything on it. There is no right or wrong option as long as you put all your ideas so that they can be seen.

Mix and combine

Let's go back to the lists of things we like to do and think about that we started in step 1. Add them to your memory card software or just write them down where you can see them. Then write down all the problems you encountered in step 2.

Then add anything that has caught your attention since you started trying something new and meeting new people. Excerpt from the conversation. Feelings of anxiety. A moment of disappointment.

Once you've laid it all out in front of you, you can begin to see a connection you haven't seen before.

Brainstorming with other people

Let's make your friends work. You may even be able to call some of the exciting people you met in Step 3. Personal communication is great, but if that's not possible, a platform like Zoom will be a good replacement. Try to attract at least 3-4 people.

Share your lists, explain that you are looking for business ideas, and ask everyone to start tossing ideas. The only rule? You are forbidden to say "no". Write it all down and add it to your ever-growing list of ideas.