Still in the "finding ideas/finding needs" phase

[smn03]

I've read TMFL and Unscripted , understand the CENTS principle,
and I know that people pay me for the value I'm providing.

So here's my current problem:

Myself:
Im still trying to figure things out.. Im working at a job I don't like but saving every € I earn. I have about 10.000 saved to invest in some kind of business (stock, marketing, etc.) Im passionate about self improvement and want to improve my financial situation as well.

The Problems:
I want to build a business. I want to make money. (obviously). A friend of mine is also interested in that. Im thinking value over money but he's more into "find something that people are already buying a lot and just find it on alibaba, and sell it online". As an example I found a massage roll on amazon. Sold on Amazon.com for 39,99 and on alibaba for 2,50. His idea would be to just get it from Alibaba.com and then build a brand around, do some marketing and sell it as a high class item on a Shopify site.

-> I don't see any value we'd be providing with just copying or adding other attributes like different colors..

I think its all about solving Problems. On the other hand every problem I found within the last week was either already solved perfectly or just not really solvable. I searched for every "I hate" "Why is this.." and "I struggle with" phrase I could come up with on twitter. I even searched on niche specific forums, like parenting forums, and found people complaining about their partners snoring too loud, (solved) or children eating small parts of toys and the danger behind it.

I feel stuck. I got the energy and I spent every day on this stuff but I feel stuck. Everyday I type in the same sentence of "how to come up with problems to solve, how to find needs". At least I think im not chasing money but I actually want to make someones live better, and not just hop on some trend to earn some good money. I want to build a brand that stands for something. A brand that people trust in. A brand that im proud of.

How do I get myself unstuck?

Much respect to all of you out there giving your best everyday! You're making the world a better place to live on.

thanks

 

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[hyster]

I've read TMFL and Unscripted , understand the CENTS principle,
and I know that people pay me for the value I'm providing.

So here's my current problem:

Myself:
Im still trying to figure things out.. Im working at a job I don't like but saving every € I earn. I have about 10.000 saved to invest in some kind of business (stock, marketing, etc.) Im passionate about self improvement and want to improve my financial situation as well.

The Problems:
I want to build a business. I want to make money. (obviously). A friend of mine is also interested in that. Im thinking value over money but he's more into "find something that people are already buying a lot and just find it on alibaba, and sell it online". As an example I found a massage roll on amazon. Sold on Amazon.com for 39,99 and on alibaba for 2,50. His idea would be to just get it from Alibaba.com and then build a brand around, do some marketing and sell it as a high class item on a Shopify site.

-> I don't see any value we'd be providing with just copying or adding other attributes like different colors..

I think its all about solving Problems. On the other hand every problem I found within the last week was either already solved perfectly or just not really solvable. I searched for every "I hate" "Why is this.." and "I struggle with" phrase I could come up with on twitter. I even searched on niche specific forums, like parenting forums, and found people complaining about their partners snoring too loud, (solved) or children eating small parts of toys and the danger behind it.

I feel stuck. I got the energy and I spent every day on this stuff but I feel stuck. Everyday I type in the same sentence of "how to come up with problems to solve, how to find needs". At least I think im not chasing money but I actually want to make someones live better, and not just hop on some trend to earn some good money. I want to build a brand that stands for something. A brand that people trust in. A brand that im proud of.

How do I get myself unstuck?

Much respect to all of you out there giving your best everyday! You're making the world a better place to live on.

thanks

I totally feel you, I have the same problem in life. I wish I had an answer for that but I haven't figured it out. One thing that sometimes helps me is that if the solution already exists and people are paying for it, it means it's valuable and has already been validated by the market. The only thing to do is to take the solution and improve it. It can't be already perfect, right?
But honestly, it's not that easy

I'm looking forward to answers in this topic.

 

[smn03]

I totally feel you, I have the same problem in life. I wish I had an answer for that but I haven't figured it out. One thing that sometimes helps me is that if the solution already exists and people are paying for it, it means it's valuable and has already been validated by the market. The only thing to do is to take the solution and improve it. It can't be already perfect, right?
But honestly, it's not that easy

I'm looking forward to answers in this topic.

Thanks for your answer,
nice to have you on here.

Let's take the massage roll for your feet as an example.

Need: People with pain in their feet can use this to relax and sometimes even as a relief to their pain.

Improvement: People on Amazon complain about the quality. "broken within one week", "makes painful noises when using".

these are things we can improve, by finding a better supplier for this product. actually communicating, testing everything and selling a good, high quality product.
but even then. I don't know why someone would by my product over somebody else's.
Might even look the same as the one from the competition.

Know what im saying? Guess i got to figure a lot of things out on my way to being successful.

 

[Guest050x2]

I faced a similar issue when I initially began, and while it's still early on in my adventure, this is becoming less and less of an issue. I now struggle with filtering ideas based on current resources, personal goals, etc. What worked for me was simply stepping out of my brain and into the world. Yes, that's legitimately it.

People love talking about themselves (see what I did above?). Simply put, I promise you, if you go survey 5-10 people in-person, you'll walk away with 25+ ideas. Most of them won't get you anywhere, a few of them may have potential, then you may have 1-2 that have true potential.

Just put yourself out there. Community events, pick up a hobby, talk to people, etc. Talk to these people, find out their biggest problems/challenges, then gauge from there. Once you have ideas, begin asking yourself (and/or researching) things such as:

1. What are current solutions, if one exists. Is it an actual solution or a band-aid? How can I improve on this?
2. If I can improve on this/like support the product, is it feasible to ship/stock/etc.

(I absolutely refuse to handle physical products, so I'm a bit ignorant here. I'm sure there's a billion steps to expand on).

And go from there. Having said all of this, knowing you do have a savings puts you a bit ahead. You can also consider cruising over to Flippa (or one of the many alternatives) to purchase a small business or ecom store. From there, you have the ability to either grow it to sell it, or use it as a platform to build a personal brand.

The possibilities are truly endless once you actively begin placing yourself in the world, in front of people.

 

[smn03]

I faced a similar issue when I initially began, and while it's still early on in my adventure, this is becoming less and less of an issue. I now struggle with filtering ideas based on current resources, personal goals, etc. What worked for me was simply stepping out of my brain and into the world. Yes, that's legitimately it.

People love talking about themselves (see what I did above?). Simply put, I promise you, if you go survey 5-10 people in-person, you'll walk away with 25+ ideas. Most of them won't get you anywhere, a few of them may have potential, then you may have 1-2 that have true potential.

Just put yourself out there. Community events, pick up a hobby, talk to people, etc. Talk to these people, find out their biggest problems/challenges, then gauge from there. Once you have ideas, begin asking yourself (and/or researching) things such as:

1. What are current solutions, if one exists. Is it an actual solution or a band-aid? How can I improve on this?
2. If I can improve on this/like support the product, is it feasible to ship/stock/etc.

(I absolutely refuse to handle physical products, so I'm a bit ignorant here. I'm sure there's a billion steps to expand on).

And go from there. Having said all of this, knowing you do have a savings puts you a bit ahead. You can also consider cruising over to Flippa (or one of the many alternatives) to purchase a small business or ecom store. From there, you have the ability to either grow it to sell it, or use it as a platform to build a personal brand.

The possibilities are truly endless once you actively begin placing yourself in the world, in front of people.

really gave me a new perspective on this. thanks a lot for your time and your shared advice. definitely going to implement this

 

[Guest050x2]

really gave me a new perspective on this. thanks a lot for your time and your shared advice. definitely going to implement this

Always happy to help. Keep us updated and good luck. Cheers.

 

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[Itizn]

Here's a different POV for you to consider:

First, which industry intrigues you beyond a surface level? Pick one, but make sure it's not solely because you think it's ripe with opportunity.

For example, maybe you find construction appealing (again, make sure it's for some reason other than the revenue it generates). It could even be as bland of a reason as you've always found cranes to be fascinating.

With that out of the way, you now have a real reason to dive deep into "their world".

Commit to meeting those people, getting as close to the top players as you can, having dialogues with no ulterior motive.

Given enough time and dedication, you'll find the opportunity you've been relentlessly googling for.

Good luck

 

[Andreas Thiel]

Have you read "The Great Rat-Race Escape"? It tries to outline what these phases (coming up with the idea and transitioning into the execution phase) can look like.
When you just stare at the screen and try to come up with "the one product idea", the approach is already problematic.
You seem to get that, judging from your wording (like "I type in the same sentence of ...").

Basically yes, you need fresh impulses that take you into different directions ... then dive into topics that interest you and where you see potential.
You don't want to think about coming up with the idea as an event. It is a process within a larger process.
Just look into some hobbies, areas of expertise or skills without any expectations ... learn the lingo and get a feel what is out there.
Join communities.

I'd also challenge your assessment that you have found any problems that have been solved perfectly.
I think that is an emotional reaction, not a fact.

You wrote that you are passionate about self improvement. You could consider creating digital information products / online courses.

 

[Albert KOUADJA]

J'ai lu TMFL et Unscripted , je comprends le principe CENTS,
et je sais que les gens me paient pour la valeur que j'apporte.

Alors voici mon problème actuel :

Moi même:
J'essaie toujours de comprendre les choses. Je travaille à un travail que je n'aime pas mais j'économise chaque € que je gagne. J'ai environ 10 000 économisés pour investir dans une sorte d'entreprise (actions, marketing, etc.). Je suis passionné par l'amélioration de moi-même et je souhaite également améliorer ma situation financière.

Les problèmes:
Je veux créer une entreprise. Je veux faire de l'argent. (évidemment). Un de mes amis s'y intéresse également. Je pense que la valeur prime sur l'argent, mais il préfère "trouver quelque chose que les gens achètent déjà beaucoup et le trouver sur Alibaba et le vendre en ligne". À titre d'exemple, j'ai trouvé un rouleau de massage sur amazon. Vendu sur Amazon.com pour 39,99 et sur alibaba pour 2,50. Son idée serait simplement de l'obtenir sur Alibaba.com, puis de créer une marque, de faire du marketing et de le vendre comme un article de grande classe sur un site Shopify.

-> Je ne vois aucune valeur que nous fournirions simplement en copiant ou en ajoutant d'autres attributs comme des couleurs différentes .

Je pense que tout est dans la résolution de problèmes. D'un autre côté, chaque problème que j'ai trouvé au cours de la semaine dernière était soit déjà parfaitement résolu, soit tout simplement pas vraiment résoluble. J'ai recherché toutes les phrases "Je déteste", "Pourquoi est-ce..." et "J'ai du mal avec" que j'ai pu trouver sur Twitter. J'ai même cherché sur des forums spécifiques à des niches, comme les forums de parents, et j'ai trouvé des gens qui se plaignaient du fait que leur partenaire ronflait trop fort, (résolu) ou que des enfants mangeaient de petites parties de jouets et le danger derrière cela.

Je me sens coincé. J'ai eu l'énergie et j'ai passé chaque jour sur ce genre de choses mais je me sens coincé. Chaque jour, je tape la même phrase de "comment trouver des problèmes à résoudre, comment trouver des besoins". Au moins, je pense que je ne suis pas à la recherche d'argent, mais je veux en fait améliorer la vie de quelqu'un, et pas seulement suivre une tendance pour gagner de l'argent. Je veux construire une marque qui représente quelque chose. Une marque en laquelle les gens ont confiance. Une marque dont je suis fier.

Comment me débloquer ?

Un grand respect à vous tous qui faites de votre mieux chaque jour ! Vous faites du monde un meilleur endroit où vivre.

Merci

J'ai fait face à un problème similaire lorsque j'ai commencé, et bien que ce soit encore au début de mon aventure, cela devient de moins en moins un problème. J'ai maintenant du mal à filtrer les idées en fonction des ressources actuelles, des objectifs personnels, etc. Ce qui a fonctionné pour moi a simplement été de sortir de mon cerveau et d'entrer dans le monde. Oui, c'est légitimement ça.

Les gens aiment parler d'eux-mêmes (voir ce que j'ai fait ci-dessus ?). En termes simples, je vous promets que si vous allez interroger 5 à 10 personnes en personne , vous repartirez avec plus de 25 idées. La plupart d'entre eux ne vous mèneront nulle part, quelques-uns d'entre eux peuvent avoir du potentiel, alors vous pouvez en avoir 1-2 qui ont un vrai potentiel.

Mettez-vous simplement là-bas. Événements communautaires, choisissez un passe-temps, parlez aux gens , etc. Parlez à ces personnes, découvrez leurs plus gros problèmes/défis, puis évaluez à partir de là. Une fois que vous avez des idées, commencez à vous poser des questions (et/ou à faire des recherches) telles que :

1. Quelles sont les solutions actuelles, si elles existent. Est-ce une vraie solution ou un pansement ? Comment puis-je améliorer cela ?
2. Si je peux améliorer ce support / comme le produit , est-il possible d'expédier/de stocker/etc.

(Je refuse absolument de manipuler des produits physiques, donc je suis un peu ignorant ici. Je suis sûr qu'il y a un milliard d'étapes à développer).

Et partez de là. Cela dit, savoir que vous avez une épargne vous donne un peu d'avance. Vous pouvez également envisager de vous rendre à Flippa (ou à l'une des nombreuses alternatives) pour acheter une petite entreprise ou un magasin ecom. À partir de là, vous avez la possibilité de le développer pour le vendre ou de l'utiliser comme plate-forme pour créer une marque personnelle.

The possibilities are truly endless once you actively begin placing yourself in the world, in front of people.

Here's a different POV for you to consider:

First, which industry intrigues you beyond a surface level? Pick one, but make sure it's not solely because you think it's ripe with opportunity.

For example, maybe you find construction appealing (again, make sure it's for some reason other than the revenue it generates). It could even be as bland of a reason as you've always found cranes to be fascinating.

With that out of the way, you now have a real reason to dive deep into "their world".

Commit to meeting those people, getting as close to the top players as you can, having dialogues with no ulterior motive.

Given enough time and dedication, you'll find the opportunity you've been relentlessly googling for.

Good luck

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge on this area. I am in such a situation, I assure you that it gave me new ways of seeing about this subject. I will put them into practice..

 

[Yogi_Fastlane]

I've read TMFL and Unscripted , understand the CENTS principle,
and I know that people pay me for the value I'm providing.

So here's my current problem:

Myself:
Im still trying to figure things out.. Im working at a job I don't like but saving every € I earn. I have about 10.000 saved to invest in some kind of business (stock, marketing, etc.) Im passionate about self improvement and want to improve my financial situation as well.

The Problems:
I want to build a business. I want to make money. (obviously). A friend of mine is also interested in that. Im thinking value over money but he's more into "find something that people are already buying a lot and just find it on alibaba, and sell it online". As an example I found a massage roll on amazon. Sold on Amazon.com for 39,99 and on alibaba for 2,50. His idea would be to just get it from Alibaba.com and then build a brand around, do some marketing and sell it as a high class item on a Shopify site.

-> I don't see any value we'd be providing with just copying or adding other attributes like different colors..

I think its all about solving Problems. On the other hand every problem I found within the last week was either already solved perfectly or just not really solvable. I searched for every "I hate" "Why is this.." and "I struggle with" phrase I could come up with on twitter. I even searched on niche specific forums, like parenting forums, and found people complaining about their partners snoring too loud, (solved) or children eating small parts of toys and the danger behind it.

I feel stuck. I got the energy and I spent every day on this stuff but I feel stuck. Everyday I type in the same sentence of "how to come up with problems to solve, how to find needs". At least I think im not chasing money but I actually want to make someones live better, and not just hop on some trend to earn some good money. I want to build a brand that stands for something. A brand that people trust in. A brand that im proud of.

How do I get myself unstuck?

Much respect to all of you out there giving your best everyday! You're making the world a better place to live on.

thanks

Your friend is chasing "Money", MJ has addressed this in his books, such stores are the latest fad (or for some years), the entry barrier is low and the Need is questionable as you don't have product differentiation.

I'm also in the same boat, I think it's natural to feel the existing solutions are good enough, The more you practice your ideas the more Ideas come, what I did is.

Tried to find a problem in an industry where I've had some exposure by
- Research them on the Internet
- Speaking to other people on forums, community channels, family, friends
- Tried to reverse engineer existing businesses
-Reflect on my findings

Amazingly I still had 7-8 diverse ideas, I built a framework and ran a qualification test for all these ideas and only 3 qualified and 1 of them gave me enough confidence to start.

So now I've decided, since Execution is king, I will build protoypes of them and get real world feedback, until then I won't start anything new and just try to create value.
Reflection is key, it's supereasy to get distracted, especially when you don't have any success.

 

[Eliass]

people complaining about their partners snoring too loud, (solved)

It being solved, but people still complaining about it means there is a lack of marketing (at least to this group) or the soluution is not satisfactory. Maybe you can do something about that.

I wish you much success in your future process

 

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[smn03]

It being solved, but people still complaining about it means there is a lack of marketing (at least to this group) or the soluution is not satisfactory. Maybe you can do something about that.

I wish you much success in your future process

good one! might be the case for this product!