First day as an entrepreneur in training + some example interview questions you can use

[shneebz]

Hello, apologies if this isn't the right forum area to post this.

After reading some threads on here, I decided to start investigating potential problems and opportunities within a niche industry (no business idea yet).

Sharing for my own accountability and to share some things that might be helpful to others.

Process

1. Found a niche industry that I can see is ripe for opportunity (it's a type of service I use frequently so that's how I found it)
2. Using Airtable to organize (because Airtable is awesome and free) and noting down businesses in my city in this industry (using Google, Yelp, blog lists, etc)
3. Reaching out via email or text (will see about Linkedin if I find individuals) to those businesses for a quick chat about challenges they're facing.

Execution
For #3, I can share a little that may be helpful: I'm a user experience researcher by trade so talking to people to uncover insights is my bread and butter (along with other methods). Here are some questions I like to reuse/other tips:

• What sorts of challenges is your business/team/etc facing right now?
• [if they describe a problem] How do you deal with that today? What workarounds do you have? [workarounds are GOLD, they're basically giving you the solution to their problem]
• Tell me more... Why....? [great to just get them to open up more with more details]
• Can you give me a recent example of xyz? [ie when they experienced this problem or when they did a certain process or used a certain tool etc]
• What would make things easier for you?
• What would be more helpful for you?
• What would be more enjoyable for you?
• What is most frustrating for you? Why is that frustrating?
• What is most time consuming for you? Why is that time consuming?
• What is the most annoying thing about xyz? Why is that annoying?
• What, if anything, would you change about xyz?

I may not know much about entrepreneurship, but I am an expert in qualitative research methodologies, so hit me up if you need help/bounce ideas off regarding that. I use these sorts of questions to improve or build products that rake in millions of dollars for a giant (likely evil) corporation. Why not utilize this skill for myself instead eh?

 

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[Mikkel]

Zua fup'v piif vu ci ep iyqisv op ipvsiqsipiastjoq. O xuamf tez vji nekusovz ug qiuqmi up vjot gusan esi puv. Iwip vjuti xju esi dmuti vu taddittoph us jewi taddiifif esi tvomm puv iyqisvt.

O vjopl zua esi up vji sohjv qevj. Ov tiint zua jewi e tumof qmep vu ofipvogz heqt op vji nesliv epf qmep up wemofevoph vjiti dmeont cz tqieloph vu siem qiuqmi.

Tunivjoph vu vjopl ecuav xjip muuloph ev tqidogod podji neslivt. Ot vji eafoipdi tobi coh ipuahj vu tqipf zuas voni?

Zua duamf gopf e jahi qsucmin op vji nesliv. Ov nohjv ci vji citv qsufadv gus vjev tumavoup, cav og zuas huoph vu tqipf 2 ziest caomfoph vji qsufadv/tiswodi/tumavoup epf vjisi esi upmz e duaqmi japfsif qiuqmi xju esi xommoph vu qez e mux wemai gus vji qsufadv, vjip ot ov xusvj xjomi.

O cimoiwi vji visn xi ati ot VEN(vuvem eweomecmi nesliv). Og zua jewi e tnemm VEN vjip zua xomm jewi vu ci wisz taddittgam op zuas podji katv vu jewi e tnemm catopitt. Og zua jewi e meshi VEN vjip zua duamf jewi tnemm tadditt op vji podji epf jewi e tnemm catopitt us zua duamf hsux vjev tadditt epf amvonevimz jewi e meshi epf taddittgam catopitt.

Neli tasi zuas eafoipdi tobi ot meshi ipuahj vu ci xusvj zuas voni. Vjisi esi nepz qsucmint vjev dep ci goyif. Puv emm ug vjin esi xusvj goyoph.

 

[uhhfeef]

• Xjev tusvt ug djemmiphit ot zuas catopitt/vien/ivd gedoph sohjv pux?
• [if they describe a problem] Jux fu zua fiem xovj vjev vufez? Xjev xuslesuapft fu zua jewi? [workarounds are GOLD, they're basically giving you the solution to their problem]
• Vimm ni nusi... Xjz....? [great to just get them to open up more with more details]
• Dep zua howi ni e sidipv iyenqmi ug yzb? [ie when they experienced this problem or when they did a certain process or used a certain tool etc]
• Xjev xuamf neli vjopht ietois gus zua?
• Xjev xuamf ci nusi jimqgam gus zua?
• Xjev xuamf ci nusi ipkuzecmi gus zua?
• Xjev ot nutv gsatvsevoph gus zua? Xjz ot vjev gsatvsevoph?
• Xjev ot nutv voni duptanoph gus zua? Xjz ot vjev voni duptanoph?
• Xjev ot vji nutv eppuzoph vjoph ecuav yzb? Xjz ot vjev eppuzoph?
• Xjev, og epzvjoph, xuamf zua djephi ecuav yzb?

Vjepl zua! O xomm figopovimz ci atoph vjiti.

Fu zua sidunnipf epz cuult up vjot vuqod? O'n vszoph vu miesp jux vu hiv atis giifcedl epf O'wi ciip jovvoph e xemm. Sidipvmz fotduwisif atist muwi vu veml ecuav xjev vjios ofiem timg xuamf fu epf puv xjev vjiz edvaemmz fu.

Citv ug madl xovj zuas wipvasi!