Developing An Idea Before Startup

In this article we will continue to challenge your mind a bit more on the issue of identifying a business opportunity or spotting a business idea.

Let’s address some of the sheer desperation some folks feel about starting a new venture. I do hear often such phrases at our seminars and meetings with clients like; “I really believe this is the best time for me to start my own business but am yet to decide”, others say “listen, I know I am to be working for myself or own my business but honestly I think there isn’t much opportunities around or I simply don’t know what sort of business am to start”?

My first attempt is simply say "Make something people want, and charge them money for it. Or make something other people wish they had. If you can do that and you can reach people who will buy, then you can have a business started and eventually another successful business story can be written about yours. Again channel your energy into doing something you're good at, provide a useful service to people you know and get them to pay for it.

Thomas Edison once said "I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of the service it might give others... I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent."

Richard Branson, - founder of Virgin Enterprises, on the other hand said “Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming."

Madam C.J. Walker, - America's first black female millionaire (creator of a popular line of African-American hair care products) said "I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!"

Donald Trump, - real estate and entertainment mogul, also said "Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you're generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make."

Interestingly most organic start-up ideas usually don't seem like start-up ideas at first. That is simply because a lot of ideas seem like hacks, a quick and dirty solution to a problem. It is best to focus mostly on developing the idea and worry less about being a new business start-up. Build a business as a foundation for creating value and meaning.

Everybody is talking about using social media as a platform in doing business. Unfortunately that has limited many into narrowing down the hunt for an opportunity as they keep looking at what business can be done via social networks only. I absolutely believe in the greater potential of social media and the fact that its not an option in this business age. Being smart about social media allows you to develop and maintain your own network of potential customers, partners and clients. However none of this matters unless you have a good idea and you set out to do something about it.

With the current economic trend where many cannot find needed security in their jobs 5 to 9 jobs. I believe there is no better time than now for you to take an action. Even if its only on part time basis as you TRY it out.  "The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer." Nolan Bushnell, - founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's. I will deal with the topic why “Economic Downturn is one of the best times to start your own business” in the coming weeks.

Everyone can be an entrepreneur or start his or her own business at any age they choose to. Just make sure you have the idea, have the passion to make it work and seek “GOOD ADVICE”.  That Professional Good Advice is what we offer (http://vikebusinessservices.com/).

Bill Gates, - founder of Microsoft Corporation, now 2nd richest man on planet earth told of his story in a simply sentence in an interview as "We were young, but we had good advice and good ideas and lots of enthusiasm."
If you are “fortunately” already laid off then you may be automatically qualified to be an entrepreneur.  Ted Turner, - broadcasting entrepreneur, couldn’t define it better as "My son is now an 'entrepreneur'. That's what you're called when you don't have a job."

Lets get started NOW. See you at the top.