User:Hungerhints/sandbox

Before we talk about coming up with your business idea, let's imagine there's a man named Michael who has 2 dogs that he calls his "children". Because he loves being around dogs, he brings his pooches everywhere with him. This even helps him befriend other dog lovers. Michael is enjoying life so much, he feels that he should spread the happiness by volunteering. Michael has tried volunteering in the past, but he's never stuck with it. So he wants to find a program that he'll commit to for a long time. But Michael is crazy about dogs, so he'll most likely stick with the dog walking program. This type thinking is similar to finding a big idea for your business there are lot of good ideas out there, but you need to find one you're passionate about and will be able to stick with. It seems pretty obvious that your business idea should be good. But, the tricky part is being able to recognize when an idea is actually worth pursuing. Yes, some ideas are obviously bad. (There's not much of a market for drinkable gasoline, for example.) However, some ideas might seem bad or just okay at first, but they could actually develop into a great idea. On the other seems amazing initially might not hold up as time goes by. While there's no way to know if a business idea will be a huge success, there are ways to help improve an idea's likelihood of success.

Think of the very specific skills you have ("I can fix cars") as well as the broader ones ("I'm a great project manager"). You're basically assessing what you're knowledgeable about and how it can be applied to a potential business idea. Then, consider what you're passionate about. This is important, because this passion will help you weather the tough times as you start business. (Imagine hating coffee yet having taste-test it all day long for your coffee shop.) After you're looked inward, look outward. Study the world around you - your job, daily life, hobbies, etc. What problems do you encounter that aren't currently being solved? For exp, Michael might live an area that lacks good veterinary care for his dogs. Let's say Michael is very skilled at coding and software. We already know he's passionate about dogs and has problems finding a good veterinarian. So, he can built a website or app that helps owners get help from a vet online. This is a "Good" business idea for Michael because it revolves around what he's knowledgeable about and what he cares about, and solves a real problem. Michael's idea may sound really well thought out, but don't worry about having a perfect idea at this point in time. You don't need to have your entire business plan and all the variables figured out before you start researching and defining your idea. Also, it's completely fine if you have doubts and concerns about your idea. Right now, you're just evaluating if your doubts can be overcome, or if the business idea should be downgraded from "good" to "not worth my time". Once you have your idea, make sure there's a market for it. You know it;s solving a problem you have, but are there other people who also have this problem? Your business idea doesn't need to reinvent the wheel. It just needs to solve the problem better that your competitors. To figure out how you can do this, list the ways you'd improve on what they're currently doing.

Reference: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hunger-hints-0a91bb192_the-weekly-lifeline-activity-6570451519982931968-KaaF