My favorite spots: A List of 8 Great Places to Find a New Business Idea
Many enterprising souls fail to realize their dreams of having a multi-million business venture just because they are unable to come up with feasible, fresh ideas for business. While stress and tension have been identified as the number one cause for mental blocks, your current location could also be the culprit. So the next time you feel the pangs of a mental block, stand up, walk around, and explore: you’ll never know if the seeds of your future multimillion company could be waiting for you right around the block.
If we look at the profiles of the biggest, most successful companies in the world today, we’ll see that these are the companies that were able to pinpoint and resolve a problem not addressed before. As tech businessman Dane Maxwell once said, “Successful business ideas are borne out of searching for and easing the ‘pain’ of a particular market.”
Below are 8 great—and easily accessible places—where you can find common, solvable problems that you can transform into lucrative business ventures.
1. At home.
You don’t need to get out of the house to come up with fresh business ideas. Simply take a long, good look around your house and make a list of the things that need fixing. Whether it is a leaking roof, a messy garage, or a broken fence, these seemingly little frustrations are common among all homeowners and resolving these can mark the beginning of an innovative product or business.
2. The neighborhood.
Many upstart businesses become successful because they are deeply engaged with their community. Take the time to talk to your neighbors and find out the common needs that can be filled by a new business venture. For example, a community of dog owners can benefit from a pet grooming service. Interacting with neighbors regularly will not only give you fresh insights, but will also help you make new friends.
The office. Your co-workers can be a valuable source of new ideas, especially for part-time businesses. Find out the issues and problems that many of your co-workers have and look for ways to solve these. For example, an office with no cafeteria will most likely benefit from a food delivery service.
3. The grocery store.
Scan the shelves of your grocery store and list down the things that you constantly buy and use these as starting points for a business idea. Perhaps you can make homemade or special jellies and pastries. Is your grocery missing vegetarian alternative? Why not put up a business catering to vegetarians and vegans instead?
4. The mall.
Like the grocery store, the mall can also be a great place to let your mind wander and discover new things to sell or make for profit. Maybe you can come up with your own line of clothes or accessories with creative designs different from the mass-produced items in the mall.
5. The school or day care.
Take advantage of after-school chitchat or PTA meetings to pick-up ideas from other parents. Maybe they have concerns about the school’s security or the food provided by the cafeteria? Explore possible ventures that can solve these problems.
6. Search engines.
Make Google and Yahoo your best friends by regularly checking the Internet for items that can be used in a business venture. One way to filter Internet drivel and put some method to the madness is by typing in a specific item and seeing if it has sufficient results. If not, why not put up an online shop selling that product?
7. Social media sites.
Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites are virtual goldmines for new business ideas. Scan your newsfeed for tweets and posts about products and services that have high demand but little or no sources, and think about how you can provide a possible solution.
Do you know other great places to find amazing ideas for a business? Don’t hold back; share your thoughts and let’s have a bigger list.
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