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Finding problems or value

shelton

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I’m not sure about what to do now. I’m still working on getting a job but I still haven’t got one. Even if I get a job I won’t have much to do with my free time. I keep coming up with ideas but they either suck or I can’t make them better than anyone else. I keep finding places with low entry barriers and I live in New York where opening a store is a terrible idea. How do I find people online who have problems that are worth solving.
 
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Spicymemer45

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I’m not sure about what to do now. I’m still working on getting a job but I still haven’t got one. Even if I get a job I won’t have much to do with my free time. I keep coming up with ideas but they either suck or I can’t make them better than anyone else. I keep finding places with high entry barriers and I live in New York where opening a store is a terrible idea. How do I find people online who have problems that are worth solving.

What value do you know you already have to give?
 

Zcott

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I keep finding places with high entry barriers

Following the Commandment of Entry principle, the higher the barrier of entry the better it is.

The commandment of entry principle is better outlined in the books, the following is from the fastlane forum:

Entrepreneurs are problem solvers. If anyone can mimic your business overnight by following a simple 1-2-3 step process, you're not solving any problems. In fact, the more difficult it is to start your business, the better the opportunity you have. The difficulty IS the opportunity. Fortunes are not made in a business you created overnight -- fortunes are made by solving problems and delivering value to the market in a strongly defended position.

Take dropshipping. An online store can be setup in an hour, anyone can do it, costs like $30. The result is the market is saturated, profit margins are eroded, no problems are fixed, no solutions provided.

Compare that to any number of progress threads on here of successful entrepreneurs who took months and years of overcoming barriers and obstacles only to then succeed.

Obviously we cannot say more without knowing the idea, but this is something to remember moving forward.
 
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shelton

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Following the Commandment of Entry principle, the higher the barrier of entry the better it is.

The commandment of entry principle is better outlined in the books, the following is from the fastlane forum:

Entrepreneurs are problem solvers. If anyone can mimic your business overnight by following a simple 1-2-3 step process, you're not solving any problems. In fact, the more difficult it is to start your business, the better the opportunity you have. The difficulty IS the opportunity. Fortunes are not made in a business you created overnight -- fortunes are made by solving problems and delivering value to the market in a strongly defended position.

Take dropshipping. An online store can be setup in an hour, anyone can do it, costs like $30. The result is the market is saturated, profit margins are eroded, no problems are fixed, no solutions provided.

Compare that to any number of progress threads on here of successful entrepreneurs who took months and years of overcoming barriers and obstacles only to then succeed.

Obviously we cannot say more without knowing the idea, but this is something to remember moving forward.
I’m sorry I meant low entry barriers not high entry I mixed up the concept. I want high entry barriers not low ones.
 

Zcott

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I’m sorry I meant low entry barriers not high entry I mixed up the concept. I want high entry barriers not low ones.

Ah, fair enough. I understand. Starting out it is hard to find something to enter into. Good luck with your quest!
 

Danny Sullivan

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How do I find people online who have problems...

This seemed like a big problem to me too before i read the books, read some more here and then applied what i've read. If you switch your mind from a consumer to a producer mindset you suddenly see opportunities all over the place.

For example - this was my yesterday:
I was washing our car and while power washing is okay, as soon as you get to the brush thingy the tube that's attached to it wiggles all over the place from the movement - hitting your car, maybe hitting your head too, wiggling back and forth - just horrible. After i was finished washing my car, i backed up into the vacuum boxes and watched how others operate this thing. Same problems, one even quit doing it :)

Here's what i mean:
xXZUsnX.gif

If someone would put this thing "on rails", it would make brushing your car more comfortable.

Later i drove to our vet, picking up some pet supplies and noticed that one of the assistances is pushing their side business with new flyers and business cards. I knew that she was in business for quite a while and wondered - later i looked at her website and it looked like it was made 15 years ago with poor design and little to no search engine optimization. I mean there are different prices on 3 different pages of her website although it had a prices section and the contact information was hard to find. Setting up a new website for her would clearly help her business.

As i was driving home in the evening, i spotted a car that was poorly put into a parking spot and was still standing on the street a bit. They were changing a flat tire. Lucky for them they seem to have all the tools necessary to do so but i often spotted cars with flats who's owners didn't. And maybe they have all the tools but are elderly ladies and gentlemen would have a hard time changing a tire.
Opportunity for an app, where you can register yourself, having all the tools (and maybe be willing) to change a tire. These poor souls could look up at a map who's around them, who might help and the helper could get a small loan for his work (paid by the one's with the flat tire). As the app operator you could take in a small fee for arranging it.
I would certainly register, because i have a lot of professional tools for cars from back then, when i was more passionate about it.

This was just one day.

...that are worth solving.

Everything is worth solving! It's just about how smart you figure things and solutions out.

Best of luck!
 
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Real Deal Denver

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I’m not sure about what to do now. I’m still working on getting a job but I still haven’t got one. Even if I get a job I won’t have much to do with my free time. I keep coming up with ideas but they either suck or I can’t make them better than anyone else. I keep finding places with high entry barriers and I live in New York where opening a store is a terrible idea. How do I find people online who have problems that are worth solving.

You want to open a store in NY? Why? Read MJ's books. You are thinking completely opposite of what his books explain. Then come back and we'll talk.
 

100k

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What is your job? Can't you find problems that could be solved there through a better system, new device, new way of doing things etc.?

What about your current job is a chore, why is it a chore? Why is it time consuming, how could you make it more efficient, how many hours of work would it save you each week (and how much would that be worth to your boss) ?!
 

shelton

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You want to open a store in NY? Why? Read MJ's books. You are thinking completely opposite of what his books explain. Then come back and we'll talk.
I’m thinking the exact opposite there’s no way I’d ever compete with al those endless stores in New York that is a colossal waste of time
 
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Fotis

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Fail forward man.

My first "business" didn't respect the commandment of scale and entry.

My second one, didn't respect the commandment of entry.

One of my side "jobs" right now doesn't respect control and time.

But I've learned a lot along the way, that I wouldn't have learned if I worried about finding an idea that was textbook CENTS.

Pick something to get your feet wet. I might be biased, but you're in America and have way more opportunities that people in other countries have. Go for one of those low barrier of entry ideas, and 3-6 months from now you'll be one step closer to your financial goal, whether by raking in tons of Benjamins or by failing but still learning a few very important things.
 

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