Do I need to know about a topic before I even decide to take action?

[gonso]

Every time I see a business oportunity, a solution to a current problem, or a chance to make some profit, I always tell my dad, because he is my best contact, and I consider he'll have good advice. But every single time it goes like this:
-Hey, dad, I just had this idea that could work very well, due to (detailed reasons). It consists on (insert really good idea) and it could be useful for blablabla
-No, that is stupid because you don't know anything about that topic/industry.
He keeps telling me to focus only on college. I am a marketing student and I learn coding at home by myself (also by recommendation of my dad). He says that if I am a very good student, may be in 10-15 years I'll have enough knowledge to then launch a startup on the industry that I have studied, because Elon Musk and Bill Gates started that way.
Does it have to be like that?
Do I have to be an expert on something in order to start a business?
Can't I just have an idea and then learn the things I need to know to get the business going?

 

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[Vigilante]

Every time I see a business oportunity, a solution to a current problem, or a chance to make some profit, I always tell my dad, because he is my best contact, and I consider he'll have good advice. But every single time it goes like this:
-Hey, dad, I just had this idea that could work very well, due to (detailed reasons). It consists on (insert really good idea) and it could be useful for blablabla
-No, that is stupid because you don't know anything about that topic/industry.
He keeps telling me to focus only on college. I am a marketing student and I learn coding at home by myself (also by recommendation of my dad). He says that if I am a very good student, may be in 10-15 years I'll have enough knowledge to then launch a startup on the industry that I have studied, because Elon Musk and Bill Gates started that way.
Does it have to be like that?
Do I have to be an expert on something in order to start a business?
Can't I just have an idea and then learn the things I need to know to get the business going?

Generally you are going to find the people that are the most impressed with college degrees ... are other people with college degrees. 50% of high school kids go to college, and only 50% of kids that start college end up with a college degree. So, 25% of people ever end up with a college degree, and of those, around 65% of them end up working in a job that doesn't require a college degree.

BTW that's not how Bill Gates started. He dropped out of college.

 

[piano]

No, although you kinda should inform yourselfa bit.

Here's a thread of mine where I kinda just went for it:

HOT! - SIDE HUSTLE - I'm going to wash windows for money tomorrow for the first time in my life. Any tips?

Have you tried running google or facebook ads and having customers find you instead?

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[Cano]

Every time I see a business oportunity, a solution to a current problem, or a chance to make some profit, I always tell my dad, because he is my best contact, and I consider he'll have good advice.

"if i accept average advice from average people living average lives, can i expect to be anything but average?" - MJ

I don't know your father or what he does, but ask yourself if you want to be where your father is when you grow up?

If so, then take the advice to heart and go on to college and wait a pleasant 10-15 years.

If not, take the advice of the successful forum members to heart.

Do I have to be an expert on something in order to start a business?
Can't I just have an idea and then learn the things I need to know to get the business going?

Check out some of the signatures from @Andy Black or the threads from @piano and others...

you will quickly realize that you can learn the things. you dont need to be an expert.

don't let your father's advice get you down. you can do it.

 

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[Guest931Xfjyx]

Every time I see a business oportunity, a solution to a current problem, or a chance to make some profit, I always tell my dad, because he is my best contact, and I consider he'll have good advice. But every single time it goes like this:
-Hey, dad, I just had this idea that could work very well, due to (detailed reasons). It consists on (insert really good idea) and it could be useful for blablabla
-No, that is stupid because you don't know anything about that topic/industry.
He keeps telling me to focus only on college. I am a marketing student and I learn coding at home by myself (also by recommendation of my dad). He says that if I am a very good student, may be in 10-15 years I'll have enough knowledge to then launch a startup on the industry that I have studied, because Elon Musk and Bill Gates started that way.
Does it have to be like that?
Do I have to be an expert on something in order to start a business?
Can't I just have an idea and then learn the things I need to know to get the business going?

I'm sure your father has nothing but good intentions for you. From what you share, his advice seems practical, but also limited by his experience.

If your father has never achieved great business success then he can't possibly conceive that you could.

I say take the risk. You're young. Go in with the expectation of failing. Worst case scenario is you learn something to use towards your next business venture.

 

[heavy_industry]

Do I have to be an expert on something in order to start a business?

You cannot become an expert in something without doing it. You need hands-on practical experience.
Doing the work is part of the learning process.

-No, that is stupid because you don't know anything about that topic/industry.

Using this logic you should never try to do anything that you have never done before.

Completely absurd and will lead to guaranteed failure at anything and everything. 0/10 life advice.

Novak Djokovic, one of the best tennis players in the world, had no prior experience before he started playing tennis.

 

[perchboy]

what does your dad know about making money? is he where you want to be in the future? if not, dont listen to him.

you dont need to be an expert at anything to make money. if you want to do some big cybersecurity company then sure but if you want to make a few thousand per month then you just gotta be able to get your hands dirty. 2 weeks ago i just said F*ck it and bought oven cleaning and car detailing supplies and i didnt have a clue what i was doing but then i youtubed it and learned after my first jobs.

now im making $100/day at 15 and will be making $250/day soon

 

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[Jérémy de HelpIn]

I write all of my business ideas on Evernote.

Then regularly I set an afternoon on "testing" them. What do I mean by "testing" ?
See if the market would be interested. See if it implementable.

I've learnt this strategy in Unscripted. Go to market fast. See if it triggers interest.

Best exemple: Minecraft

They released very early the first beta. You could do only the basics. But it was a test to see if some players would come play, gather their feedbacks and assess if it was worth continuing investing in the idea.

Find ideas, study your ideas enough to start them and confront them to the market. If one is generating interest, keep diving about that topic and investing in it.

That's my 2 cents