The problem that you solve doesn't have to be your own. Every person on the planet has their own problems that also need solving. With that being said, often times any problem you have is not unique to yourself.
I think that when you find someone starts a business to "scratch their own itch," it's usually because a solution either didn't exist at all (rare), or that the existing solution(s) can be improved upon (much more likely). They find, during the process of scratching their itch, that there are thousands of people with the exact same problem.
Overly simplified example:
You've tried nearly every deodorant on the market and they all give you a nasty rash. Eventually you discover the culprit to be Ingredient X, and also find there are two deodorants out there that don't contain Ingredient X! How exciting!
Bummer! Turns out these two products suck. One smells like a morgue, and the other makes you sweat like Sidewalker trying to balance his checkbook.
So you desperately set out to develop a deodorant free of Ingredient X, that smells great and does its job of reducing perspiration. You can't continue to live this life of painful, itchy, sweaty pits!
While learning how to make a deodorant you find bunches of people on Reddit, Facebook, and various forums who all share your allergy to Ingredient X! You also find most of these people have tried the two deodorants without Ingredient X, only to be as disappointed as yourself.
And the rest is history.
Alternatively, you don't have to suffer an allergy to Ingredient X to offer a solution to those who do have the allergy.
Both realities boil down to:
I think that when you find someone starts a business to "scratch their own itch," it's usually because a solution either didn't exist at all (rare), or that the existing solution(s) can be improved upon (much more likely). They find, during the process of scratching their itch, that there are thousands of people with the exact same problem.
Overly simplified example:
You've tried nearly every deodorant on the market and they all give you a nasty rash. Eventually you discover the culprit to be Ingredient X, and also find there are two deodorants out there that don't contain Ingredient X! How exciting!
Bummer! Turns out these two products suck. One smells like a morgue, and the other makes you sweat like Sidewalker trying to balance his checkbook.
So you desperately set out to develop a deodorant free of Ingredient X, that smells great and does its job of reducing perspiration. You can't continue to live this life of painful, itchy, sweaty pits!
While learning how to make a deodorant you find bunches of people on Reddit, Facebook, and various forums who all share your allergy to Ingredient X! You also find most of these people have tried the two deodorants without Ingredient X, only to be as disappointed as yourself.
And the rest is history.
Alternatively, you don't have to suffer an allergy to Ingredient X to offer a solution to those who do have the allergy.
Both realities boil down to:
- find a need/problem
- create a solution/add value (Ch. 35 in Unscripted )
- validate solution
- develop, market and sell solution
When you find a need and build the solution, you must validate it. If you find the market is eager to fork over its money to you in exchange for your solution, it would be wise to run with that idea.How do you weigh running with an idea and starting your own thing, with just paying someone to fix your one problem and move on to something else?
- solution has been validated
- develop, market and sell solution
- don't quit and don't get distracted (shiny object syndrome)