How to come up with a business idea: the secrets of entrepreneurship. What business to start or how to come up with the best business idea How to come up with your own business
Not least of all, how accurately and completely you were able to identify the unfulfilled needs of other people. It’s not difficult to start a project based on your own ideas about the need and demand for a particular service or product. But he will be successful only if he deals with specific problems awaiting solution.
Potential consumers your future product should be obvious from its use. The value of your goods or services in the eyes of the buyer must be unconditional. Keep in mind that if something is valuable to you personally, it will not necessarily be perceived in the same way by other people.
Look around you. Find a few areas that you are categorically dissatisfied with. Look for things that you have complaints about. Write down the result of your search on paper.
Use open sources of information such as newspapers, forums, television discussions. Very often here you can find problems that are waiting to be solved. If people are not satisfied with something, this is a direct indication of the possible scope of application of your business abilities.
Another source of new ideas is conversations, discussions, and exchange of opinions. Listen carefully to what people are saying at home or at work, when standing in line or on public transport. Typically, the topics of these conversations can give you valuable ideas that you can use.
Review your notes, which list the various problems. Ask yourself: what can I offer to improve the situation in this area? This could be a simple improvement of existing ones or the creation of something completely new.
The issues that may be of interest to you do not have to be global. Some of the things that people care about can be solved quite simply, but often it comes down to natural laziness and reluctance to solve problems on their own. People often look for solutions to their problems. Your task is to offer them such solutions. Believe me, they will gladly pay for it.
Let's say you've found a few ideas for starting your own business. Before you rush to implement them, sort them out. Choose the idea that best suits your inclinations and interests. It is advisable to have at least a general idea of the area to which your idea relates. Gather additional information. Assess the prospects for implementing the project in your region. And only then begin to implement it.
People get into business for a variety of reasons. Some are looking for self-expression, others are eager to create, others have been fired, and they are in search of new ways to earn money that do not depend on the whims of their superiors. Most would-be entrepreneurs rack their brains a lot about how to come up with a business idea. Remember, having a clearly formulated idea and a correct plan is the path to success.
Where to start?
Generating ideas in any field, not just entrepreneurship, is not an easy task. Some companies even have special positions for people who come up with new things and are able to think outside the box. However, not everyone has such talent, so for the average person, the answers to the question “How to come up with a business idea?” gives the Internet, where a huge number of opportunities are offered. Having chosen the right one, you just need to apply it to your realities.
In fact, everything is not so complicated. Business ideas with minimal investment literally floating in the air. Look around and you may notice them. It is necessary to assess the needs of others. What do people around you miss? If you find a niche in which there is little competition and the service is in demand, you don’t even have to invest in advertising - clients will come on their own.
Don't complicate your tasks
When trying to come up with business ideas with minimal investment, don't try to go the hard way. As you know, the simplest solution to any problem is usually the most correct. Therefore, avoid complex manipulations, the mere thought of which will discourage any desire to start your own business. 
At first, what scares a potential businessman is the need to register. And here is the first simplification: do not rush with official papers. First, think everything over carefully, and only after realizing that it is promising and profitable, go to the authorities involved in registering entrepreneurs. As a rule, by this time some experience will have already been accumulated, allowing you to cope with the task quickly.
The easiest start
How to open your own business from scratch in small town? Ideas are varied, but first consult the experiences of more successful colleagues. As you know, startups are developing most actively in the West, America and Europe. The most advanced area - information Technology. When planning to open your own enterprise, do not be lazy to study the experience of Western colleagues in this area. This will not only give you a hint about which idea is more profitable than others, but will also allow you to see what pitfalls await a novice entrepreneur.
Don't be afraid to take successful ideas, which worked in the West, for their implementation in their home country. Don’t be shy, thinking that you are just “copying”, don’t think about the fact that this is “not your” idea. As you know, it is important not to reinvent an already invented bicycle, but to make it ideal for yourself. This is exactly what you will do by adopting the idea of a Western business and making it a reality at home. 
Where can I find it?
To find relevant examples of business ideas, check out venture capital publications. You can study domestic ones, but first of all read Western periodicals on this topic.
When choosing a project, analyze whether it is applicable to the realities of your native place, because not every Western business will take root, for example, in a small Russian village. Consider the mentality of local residents and their income level. But remember: trying is not torture. If you don’t take up the business idea you find, someone else will probably do it and, perhaps, quickly come to success.
Everything is in order
Nowadays current business ideas in price, which is why so many print and virtual publications are dedicated to them. Among the abundance of possibilities, it is not always clear which option to choose for yourself. Whatever you like, you first need to study it in detail and only then start implementing it. Every business will have its own peculiarities and difficult moments. You won’t be able to avoid them, so try to give preference to the area that is most interesting to you, in which you have general knowledge and it will be easy to delve deeper.
Having chosen the area that is most interesting to you and formulated in which direction you plan to work in it, create a business plan. This document must be legally and economically correct, then in the future it will seem useful in the bank when obtaining a loan, in the administration hometown upon receipt of subsidies and grants for implementation. Such financial assistance will certainly make running the business easier, especially at first. 
Use all the resources!
It is from a financial point of view that it is most difficult to start a business from scratch in a small town. You can get ideas for getting money for your business from the Internet, and from here you can get the money itself.
Some people write blogs, including videos, others specialize in website promotion, and also sell products online. Finally, you can make money if you provide services on the virtual web. Tutoring via Skype and similar types of income are becoming more and more widespread.
Key Benefits
By opening your small business on the Internet, you can avoid financial investments, but you will have to worry about promoting yourself and your product. They come to the rescue social media, but you need to be able to use them as a working tool. If you are not ready for this, try hiring a specialist who, for a small fee, is ready to promote entrepreneur accounts on popular sites.
Remember that Skype, Viber and some other programs allow you to actively communicate with potential client almost face to face, despite the geographical distance. To impress a client and get the maximum benefit from a business, you need to know how to conduct it. This is where education comes to the rescue. The most attractive areas for you are economics, legal, and specialized for entrepreneurs. By the way, it can also be used as a basis for your business: you can provide consultant services over the Internet. What are some ideas for starting a business? 
Without any investment
Can the implementation of a business idea be successful without any investment at all? Yes, easily! You just need to try yourself in something like journalism. In reality modern Internet This:
- rewriting;
- copywriting.
In the first option, you will need to rewrite other people's materials in your own words, in the second, you will need to create interesting articles yourself.
For beginners, special exchanges are suitable, allowing you to understand the operation of the system and delve into its logic, as well as earn good money. Over time, when you manage to build up a rating, customers and reputation, you can open your own office, make your own website and become a full-fledged entrepreneur who has promoted a difficult but interesting business idea.
The most important question that novice entrepreneurs need to find an answer to at any time is: “Which type of activity to choose?” Existing businessmen, successful and unsuccessful, are also forced to look for answers to this question, because it is necessary to develop or change unpromising directions to more interesting and in demand. If you are reading this article, then you are also looking for answers and, undoubtedly, have already seen a lot of offers on the Internet. Most of these recommendations did not satisfy you. This is not surprising. Good advice– a great rarity, a significant part is a simple duplication of interesting ideas.
More valuable are the thoughts of the authors of truly intelligent books that do not belong to the category of popular literature and are not widely distributed on the Internet. One of these authors is Jeffrey Fox, who wrote the excellent book “How to Make Big Money in a Small Business.” Some of this author’s advice to Russian residents may seem funny and naive, but the ideas presented in the book are very interesting. Take the essence and try to adapt it to our realities. You will definitely find useful information, because these tips are based on vast experience and contain in concentrated form the age-old wisdom of successful businessmen.
According to Fox, it is worth using the following ways to search for business areas:
- Your natural talent, abilities and passions are suitable for creating successful business in the best possible way. Just think about how you can make money on them. The fact that you will truly enjoy the activity is a huge advantage.
- If your family already owns a business, don’t rush to give it up. You have a great opportunity to study the “kitchen” of entrepreneurship from the inside.
- If you are an employee, focus on finding open niches and innovative ideas in the direction in which your company operates. You already know a lot, have the necessary contacts, this will greatly simplify starting your own business.
- Enough has been said about ideas rejected by large corporations. But few people use this advice. But in vain, if implemented correctly, these ideas can become a source of large capital.
- The basis of a successful business can also be an old idea, the implementation of which was previously impossible. A look from a different angle, minor changes - you get a gold mine.
- Carefully study any information on franchise projects. It is not necessary to buy a franchise, but you may notice a promising one and for now free niche. As a rule, these ideas have a narrow focus, but are excellent for starting a business. Analyze even those options that at first glance seem absurd. Perhaps this is in your city original idea will be an accurate hit on the target.
- Pay close attention to small ethnic groups if there are any in your city. Often the needs of these people are not sufficiently met. If you can learn the language and organize a business to meet the needs of one of the national minorities, you will receive regular and loyal customers.
- Constantly look for information about different areas of business, new services and products. Do not make hasty conclusions about high competition or the futility of each type of business. Often, the first impression is wrong, and the direction that interests you will turn out to be very profitable.
- If you have enough funds, you can buy a ready-made business. But it is very important to involve specialists in the process and thoroughly find out why the owners decided to sell the company and how great its prospects are in the future.
Fox calls professionalism the main condition for success in any business. If you choose a direction, become the most the best specialist in this field, offer the best quality products and provide perfect service.
Found profitable business, which will surpass the glory of Google or Facebook - this is the dream of almost every young person of the 21st century. Even successful businessmen strive to launch more and more new projects, but as soon as it comes to creating this most ingenious new business, their enthusiasm is dashed by cruel reality. A huge number of questions arise from “How to find an investor who will invest money in an idea?” to “How to promote a business?”
We have collected 15 working methods for you that will help.
1. SIMPLIFY THE COMPLEX
For some reason, many manufacturers believe that the more functions a product has, the wider the target audience will be. Accordingly, the more money you can earn from it. But often too much functionality scares off a potential buyer. Just imagine, you go to the store to choose an ordinary kitchen knife for cutting bread, and you are persistently offered to buy a Swiss folding knife for 42 items.
Sometimes it is enough to simplify the product and make it more specialized in order to get a sought-after item. Just think about which products you use frequently could be simplified. Which features do you want to remove and which do you want to keep? And after that you can safely release new product, which will definitely get its client.
2. CREATE MORE IDEAS
The more ideas you have, the more likely it is that one or more of them will turn out to be truly interesting and workable. Perhaps one of them will make you a real millionaire and provide the life you have always dreamed of.
“The best method for generating a good business idea is to choose the strongest one.”
Evgeniy Deineko
Create as much as possible! But you shouldn’t jump right in and try to implement them all. Set aside dedicated time to generate ideas. For example, one month. During this time, try to sketch out as many ideas as possible.
And after that, another month to critically analyze these ideas and choose among them the one that seems the most promising.
3. BE CREATIVE
Creativity allows the mind to liberate itself and create new unusual and non-standard things. Taking part in music, drawing, dancing or any other creative activity allows you to let go of your imagination. And you will be surprised how many wonderful ideas your mind can create after such creative sessions.
4. READ FORUMS AND SPECIALIZED ONLINE COMMUNITIES
This is the perfect place to find new ideas that people actually want. At the same time, forums can be very diverse: from specialized public forums for startups to small forums for designers or housewives. In almost any forum you can find a section where you can get ideas.
Just define your target audience, for whom you want to work - artists, firefighters, students - absolutely anyone. You can do the math to choose, or just pick at random - anything goes here.
Next, identify your audience's needs. On these very forums, topics are often created where forum users discuss problems and questions. You just need to go through them thoroughly - and five or two ideas will appear on their own.
5. SHARE IDEAS
“If you have an apple and a friend has an apple, you exchanged and you got one apple each. If you have an idea and a friend has an idea, you exchange and you end up with two ideas each. Exchange ideas – it benefits everyone.”
Evgeniy Deineko
Of course, if you have created a new interesting idea, then there is always the fear that it will be stolen, that someone will use it to enrich themselves, and you will be left with nothing. But in reality this happens very rarely. Sharing ideas allows you to hear another person's opinion on it - which can often be very helpful. People who hear about something for the first time often provide valuable comments that the originator of the idea may not have even thought of. In turn, this allows you to improve the product and make it more useful.
Share your ideas - it's simple!
6. WALK UNFAMILIAR ROUTES
If the brain receives a lot of new information, it analyzes it in the usual way. And often creating something new just requires a fresh look at familiar things. Walking along a new route can get you thinking, which may spark new ideas. Plus, it's good way unload your brain from everyday activities and just relax - combine business with pleasure.
7. WRITE IDEAS IN A NOTEBOOK
The human brain forgets up to 85% of information 24 hours after receiving it. This means that 85% of the ideas created may remain in the past, without a chance of implementation.
Once you have an idea, don’t put it off – at least write it down in a special notebook. But the written down idea will not go anywhere, and you can return to it at any convenient time.
There is a perfect example in modern business history. All TOP companies Richard Branson was required to carry notebook for your ideas. Later, 10 of the 11 TOPs became millionaires and multimillionaires. Writing down your ideas is helpful.
8. LOOK FOR ALL POSSIBLE WAYS TO SOLUTION THE PROBLEM
You created good idea, but there is already a solution on the market? Don't despair and switch to something else. Try creating a different solution to the problem.
It is possible that your solution will be simpler, cheaper, more understandable - there are many options why it could become more popular and widespread than the existing one.
9. EXPLORE NEW AREAS OF ACTIVITY
You shouldn’t stop at just one area of activity. Even if you successfully run a business, for example, selling children's clothing, what is stopping you from mastering a related business? And the combination of two dissimilar areas can generally create a new direction for business, in which you will become the first and only representative.
10. FOLLOW NEW PRODUCTS
Any new product is an unplowed field for new ideas. Follow news in science, business, management - in all areas of knowledge that interest you. After all, among the new products there may be a product or service that will explode the market and become super popular.
Whoever owns the information owns the world. And it is this knowledge that will allow you to be one of the first who can take new niche in a new industry.
11. READ BOOKS
There's nothing to say here. Reading has always been one of the best and simple ways charge you with new thoughts and ideas. It doesn’t matter what kind of book - science fiction, business, detective or drama - while reading, the brain works at its maximum, so ideas are born simply and a lot. It's important to write down these ideas right away because they are quickly forgotten.
12. CURIOSITY IS YOUR WEAPON
Be interested in the world around you! Often, some small information about everyday things can lead to a powerful idea. Ask questions, be curious, learn new things - and ideas will follow.
13. STRIVE FOR IDEAL
There are hundreds of objects around every person. And 95% of them can be made better, simpler, more convenient. There are very few objects that can be called perfect. But every imperfect object can be improved, brought to that same perfection.
Many people would happily purchase a familiar product that was more convenient, simpler, or aesthetically pleasing. You just need to choose one imperfect product and make it truly perfect.
14. WALK IN THE FRESH AIR
Fresh air and active pastime are essential components of active brain function. A 15-minute walk can recharge your energy for the whole day. In addition, saturating brain cells with oxygen helps you think faster and more clearly.
This is especially true for people with a sedentary lifestyle. Go outside and you will see how you feel better. And to stimulate your brain, take a notepad with you and make a couple of interesting notes.
15. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES
A successful product solves one or more problems for the buyer. Collect your problems and see how they can be solved as simply and in a convenient way. Perhaps you can find a universal method that will help not only you, but also hundreds of other people who are faced with similar difficulties?
If yes, then you are already on your way to creating a great product that will be in demand among customers.
As you can see, coming up with an idea is quite easy! But this process can be brought to the point of automation - when the most insignificant thought will create dozens of ideas on which you can really make money. Teach your brain to generate business ideas and learn a number of effective techniques for creating a new business and improving an existing one in the course « » . Register now:
This article will help future entrepreneurs come up with a business idea from scratch, find a suitable business area for them and plan their actions at the initial stage of development.
Why open your own business?
People who are thinking about starting their own business must first understand two simple things. Firstly, why did they come to this decision? And secondly, what goals do they pursue?When answering these questions, you can endlessly go through the answer options. In fact, there are only two true reasons for starting your own business:
1. Its subsequent sale.
2. Systematic profit making.
When an entrepreneur implements a business idea for the purpose of further sale, then in the first couple of serious investment labor, temporary and financial resources. In about two years, when the business that has been put on track can be sold, all the invested funds will pay off. The seller will receive much more than he spent, but strength and patience are needed. Moreover, the activity does not end with the sale. You can come up with a business idea again and start all over again: open, finance, sell. A similar scheme is common on the Internet.
If the goal is to receive dividends from the business, then it is necessary not only to invest money and open a project, but also to actively promote it. Once the work is established, the business will be able to provide the owner with a systematic income. This scheme is often implemented offline.
Whatever one may say, but first of all people create own business to make a profit. Money is the main reason. But no matter how strong the material motivation, it is important to choose a business idea that will be interesting to you. If you like the work, then it will bring tangible results. But before you get these same results, you will have to spend a lot of time and effort.
Stages of developing a business idea:
1. Price fairly financial resources, energy and time resources.
2. Assess the real situation. Formulate positive and negative factors. Create an action plan for existing conditions.
3. Analyze your character traits, knowledge and skills. Will they help you in business? Record on paper what you can do efficiently and well.
4. From the resulting list, select the items that you like most.
5. Think about what you can sell from your selection that people will pay for. Have you chosen? This point can be implemented as a business idea.
This way of defining an idea is the most effective and win-win. The material in this article will help the future entrepreneur choose the right path and tell him how to come up with a business idea and start a business from scratch. You just need to scroll through each of the points you read in your head and “try it on” for yourself.
In order not to make a mistake with a new business idea, it is worth imagining yourself in the shoes of your clients. What would they like? This will help you gauge the demand in the market. Also answer the questions:
Does your chosen project have any weaknesses?
Have you figured out how to be competitive in the industry?
Answered yes to both questions? Congratulations, you have found suitable business project.
Evaluation of financial investments
Regardless of what an entrepreneur intends to do (produce, sell or resell), he aims to make a profit that can compensate for all labor and monetary costs. Therefore, first of all, you need to make an estimate of income and expenses. To make the numbers more realistic, double your expenses and halve your profits. Add another 150% of expenses to the amount received. The figure that comes out is the start-up capital that is needed to open a business.
Create a sample project
In order to understand whether a new business idea will bring profit, you need to test its profitability in an environment familiar to you. Friends or relatives will help you with this. Simulate a situation in which they will become your clients and ask them all the important questions. What opinion do they have about the product or service? Do they have recommendations and suggestions for improvement? Such opinions and suggestions are a treasure for a future entrepreneur. If shortcomings are discovered, then this is only a plus; you can eliminate them before the start. When the testing stage is successfully completed, try selling the product to strangers. They have nothing to do with you, so they will be objective and impartial. Did you manage to sell it to them too? If yes, then you can safely draw up documents, look for premises, and form a staff.How much to invest?
In order to open your own business, you need to realistically assess your financial capabilities. And it is also important to understand what investments a commercial project requires.The first and most reliable option: invest large sums. Thus, the entrepreneur insures possible risks. A financial airbag will save you during periods of low demand or seasonal lull. The invested funds will be returned very quickly, and in about a year the business will begin to make a profit. But it should be noted that it will be difficult to sell it. Taking into account all the investments, the price will be very high.
The second way: we invest the minimum amount of money. Not everyone has the opportunity to invest a lot, so if you wish, you can get by with a small amount. In this case, success is also possible. It will depend on the work, perseverance, diligence and patience of the owner. We will have to deal with difficulties and look for alternative ways to solve problems. The most important thing is determination. If you persistently move towards your goal, the enterprise will operate successfully and make a profit.
Definition starting capital– the most important stage for a future entrepreneur.
Don't ignore external resources
Money is far from the only resource that can be attracted from outside. For example, any information can become a third-party resource. An entrepreneur may find it useful to know about people, the specifics of the region, problems and ways to solve them. The main thing is the ability to identify people’s needs, evaluate situations and events for profit. Any event creates demand for certain services or goods. For example, news about a city event will prompt an entrepreneur to think about the emergence of demand for souvenirs and temporary housing. You can also organize online “Computer for Dummies” courses that will help adults or older people master the most basic computer manipulations for communicating with children and grandchildren, regardless of their location.
Entrepreneurship– this is a state of mind. The ears and eyes of an entrepreneur are tuned to the wave of profitability and expediency. He aptly notes what can and should generate income. It’s not enough to just come up with a business idea. To become successful you need to be able to use third-party resources.
Does much depend on external conditions?
The level of demand for a product or service, the number of buyers, the state of competition, the investment climate, population size, climatic features - all these are external factors that affect the success and profitability of a business. Therefore, before starting your own business, you need to thoroughly study the industry, identify conditions and circumstances that can affect future activities. It is also necessary to analyze possible risks and estimate costs. When all external factors have been studied and taken into account, you can open a business.Majority large companies before developing a new business direction, conduct special research external factors and the real market situation. Only after a thorough study and analysis of the business climate are new trade points opened. Thus, risks are insured and the likelihood of losses is reduced.
Looking for a business idea, advice from Jeffrey Fox:
1. The starting point for business development can be a natural gift or ability. Work won't be a burden if you do what you like.
2. Continue the family business. This would be a great start (if available). A family business will provide an opportunity to see the environment from the inside.
3. Choose for business the industry in which you work (or worked) as an employee. Perhaps not the entire industry, but only a specific direction.
4. You can use an idea that your employer rejected. It may prove invaluable to you.
5. Track franchises. This method will allow you to find a popular and more or less free direction. Most likely this will be a narrowly focused activity: medical services for the elderly or a fitness club for those over thirty.
6. Study the needs of diasporas. This method is not suitable for all countries, but in most cities of our country various diasporas have been formed. It is worth studying the needs of their representatives, primarily the needs of the most able-bodied of them. If everything works out, your business will be in demand.
7. Start selling products self made, manual labor or knowledge in various fields of creativity. Areas such as landscape design, floristry or gardening are developed only at first glance, but if you dig deeper, this is a whole springboard for activity.
8. Buy existing company. If there are no funds for this step, then you can resort to a loan. But buying a business is a very responsible undertaking that requires knowledge and experience. Main task– correctly assess the future prospects of the acquired company. A win-win option would be to buy the company where you worked as an employee.
9. Realize a childhood dream. If you take a fresh look at old ideas, they can turn out to be quite profitable and interesting.
In a book about how to come up with a business idea, D. Fox noted that to succeed, a businessman should thoroughly study the goods he sells or the services he provides. Only those who are well versed in their industry can become a professional.