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What is wrong with me? Why are business ideas hard to come up with?

Idea threads

Willing2Learn

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I have the will and determination to create a business or a business system. Once I have an idea in my mind, I can focus and get right to work. I am hard worker, and once I've decided to do a project, I do it.

But for whatever reason, I can't think of a damn good business idea. I just can't.

Now, I know the whole philosophy, where you're supposed to "provide value", "Stop chasing money and instead solve problems." I get all of that. But what do you do when you're in desperate need of money, and getting a job is very hard to do?

I've applied for so many jobs, and I've gone on interviews, and even though I have a part-time job ($10/hr at best 15-20 hours a week), I can't pay my bills, my rent, my car/car insurance, buy food, etc.

We just came off the holidays, and I know that some businesses are slow, but you NEED money to survive. It's that simple. I get the whole "provide value" thing, but let's be realistic. You need money to survive, and I'm thinking about starting a business because I need money coming in.

My problem is that I can't think of an idea that I am confident will be a seller. Going into business is a huge risk. Should I just take any idea I think "could" potentially be a seller and do it? And if it fails, it fails?

Everything is based on time, whether it is finding a job or starting a business. It's just that money is so scarce in my life right now, and I need a huge injection of it.

Does anyone have any advice that they could give me?

Thanks.


EDIT: I've read this thread for some clarity (Coming up with new business ideas), so any advice on what to when you are desperate for money? Not much you can do right? Just keep hustling and praying you'll land a job?
 
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The-J

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It's because you don't know.

This, I think, comes in two forms.

There's ignorance, and then there's insecurity.

You have both. Not to offend, as ignorant is used as an insult. But I don't mean to insult you; I mean to inform you that you don't know what you don't know. That's ignorance. You don't know WHAT could make a good business idea or WHY. You gotta know both.

Insecurity is the next part. Let's say you've stumbled upon an idea and you've done some due diligence (to the best of your ability; experienced business owners are better at this). You have the resources: money, time, whatever.

Then comes the actual decision of whether to do it. You don't know if it's going to be a success! You don't even know your CHANCES of success! Shit, if only you knew your chances of success you'd do it, right?

Well... no.

What do I recommend you do?

Something. Just start something. Copy a common business model and sell something. Start a business that you know lots of people are succeeding from... then commit to it. (Just don't copy word-for-word the businesses that are publicly talked about on here, and don't copy your buddy's business unless he gives you the OK.) Start an Amazon or eBay business. Do freelancing for a bit. Cold call to sell websites. Start a niche site. Do retail arbitrage. I dunno, do something.

Whatever you have the funds to do, do it. Selling websites and doing freelancing costs $0. Your first Amazon test order could cost as little as $300.

Commit to it for, say, 6 months. You're gonna work on it every day for 6 months. At the end of 6 months, see how well you did.

Your ignorance won't fix itself. A business idea is not going to fall out of the sky. You need to be out in the marketplace, exposing yourself to people, markets, and demands.

Your insecurity won't fix itself either, because you have no basis with which to be secure. It also means you have the ultimate freedom to try anything without thinking it might be stupid as shit.

Don't worry too hard about how 'fastlane' it is, because you make $10/hr. You're not even on the road. Just get started.
 

B_Mac

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I think since you are short of ideas and money, you should slow down just a little while you put both together.

My personal method of getting money together is here GOLD - How I earned money (hustle arbitrage) to start a real business.

But there is an entire section on the forum dedicated to Hustles, Freelancing, and Bootstrapping. Read through those. Pick something out that will get some money rolling in. It'll take some pressure off you financially, allow you to build up some funds to put towards a more scalable business once you have an idea, and maybe, as you are working your hustle, you will see some way to improve something related to what you are doing.
 

SputnicK

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I am considering importing items from "Alibaba" (a website that hosts Chinese retailers) and reselling on Amazon. I have not yet decided on the product, although I have a few ideas in mind. Here's a guide I've been following if you're interested.
 
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minivanman

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Bag some air and sell it. $4.95 for 2 bags + s&h. But wait, you can get 5 FREE bags of air and all you have to do is pay a separate s+h. Set you up a website and they can buy air from anywhere in the world they want it from. London? Omaha? North Korea? Anywhere in the world you would like. Ocean air, mountain air, old folks home air.... Mix & match.

They've sold rocks, land on other planets and all other kinds of stuff, why not air? You can thank me later.
 

Walter Hay

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I am considering importing items from "Alibaba" (a website that hosts Chinese retailers) and reselling on Amazon. I have not yet decided on the product, although I have a few ideas in mind. Here's a guide I've been following if you're interested.
That guide has been dealt with extensively on the forum in the past. The guide still contains obsolete information and some advice that is downright wrong. If you look through the questions on the blog you will find that they haven't even been answered.

If you want to avoid some of the risks involved in product sourcing and importing, you might like to have a look at my AMA on the subject:
GOLD Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

Ask questions there if you like, and I will answer them.

Walter
 

SputnicK

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That guide has been dealt with extensively on the forum in the past. The guide still contains obsolete information and some advice that is downright wrong. If you look through the questions on the blog you will find that they haven't even been answered.

If you want to avoid some of the risks involved in product sourcing and importing, you might like to have a look at my AMA on the subject:
GOLD Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

Ask questions there if you like, and I will answer them.

Walter

Thanks for the heads up Walter, I will take a look through your thread. I am new to this process so I am still learning the basics of selling online while mitigating potential risk. If this way of importing is frowned upon on this forum, I am sure there is a solid reason behind it.
 
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Walter Hay

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Thanks for the heads up Walter, I will take a look through your thread. I am new to this process so I am still learning the basics of selling online while mitigating potential risk. If this way of importing is frowned upon on this forum, I am sure there is a solid reason behind it.
Importing can be a highly profitable business and can be scaled. There are many members on the forum that have prosperous importing businesses.

Just be sure you get advice from people who really know. For example, unlike some people, I won't tell you that your suppliers will handle Customs issues for you with no issues for you. Ridiculous!

I won't tell you to rely on Alibaba's escrow because it has not even existed for a long time!

I won't tell you that using only Gold Suppliers will eliminate 98% of scammers! Alibaba wouldn't even say that because they know better.

Etc....

Walter
 

NickC

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Bag some air and sell it. $4.95 for 2 bags + s&h. But wait, you can get 5 FREE bags of air and all you have to do is pay a separate s+h. Set you up a website and they can buy air from anywhere in the world they want it from. London? Omaha? North Korea? Anywhere in the world you would like. Ocean air, mountain air, old folks home air.... Mix & match.

They've sold rocks, land on other planets and all other kinds of stuff, why not air? You can thank me later.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piQobLkLRMk
 

Willing2Learn

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Thank you guys. I am considering all of your feedback.

I had just one question though, about the cold-calling to sell websites. How does that work exactly? Do you purchase the domain names, and then call businesses and sell them?
 
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Jimbo70

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I have the same problem , posted a similar thread a couple of days ago you mentioned it in your post, coming up with business ideas isn't that easy . For now i'm just researching different industries, trying to come up with something .
 

Real Deal Denver

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I have a few friends that were your same situation. Here is some rock solid advice that you can put to use TODAY.

Drive Uber or Lyft. Lyft is better. A friend makes $100 in two hours on any given day. Early hours by an airport are best.

Wash windows or mow lawns. I have a friend that used to wash windows - every window in the house, inside and out, for $85. Of course, you have to hit the upscale neighborhoods to do this. I have another friend that mows lawns. $40 average. He has some steady customers that pay him - wait for it - $450. For one lawn mowing. That's right. It's a large office building with quite a large lawn, of course. But easy work.

Pick up dog poop. $15 for once a week. $25 for twice a week. Good money for an easy job. Repeat customers.

Clean houses. I know a LOT of people that do this. Two times a week - $60 for 3 hours each time. That's $120 for some customers - but most do twice a month. Repeat customers - easy work.

Clean and organize a garage. $60 for about an hour and a half. Word of mouth business that will have them calling you.

Errand boy. For elderly people. Whatever they want - by the hour. Lots of people will do this 2 times a month. $20 an hour - twice what you're making now, plus gas fill up when done. Fantastic repeat and word of mouth advertising business.

NOW - once you STABILIZE and can pay your bills - THEN you can plan a much more full time business or career plan. Don't get me started on that. The sky is the limit. Go to amazon and search "starting a business" and you will find maybe 30 books that are cheap that can give you a million ideas. Spend $5 a book for two or three. Surf the internet.

Once you open your mind to possibilities, this is child's play. I can take the 20 hours you are not working in a week and fill them with much EASIER work for at LEAST twice what you're getting paid now. Think outside the box.

Good luck ~ and dream BIG.
 

Willing2Learn

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I have a few friends that were your same situation. Here is some rock solid advice that you can put to use TODAY.

Drive Uber or Lyft. Lyft is better. A friend makes $100 in two hours on any given day. Early hours by an airport are best.

Wash windows or mow lawns. I have a friend that used to wash windows - every window in the house, inside and out, for $85. Of course, you have to hit the upscale neighborhoods to do this. I have another friend that mows lawns. $40 average. He has some steady customers that pay him - wait for it - $450. For one lawn mowing. That's right. It's a large office building with quite a large lawn, of course. But easy work.

Pick up dog poop. $15 for once a week. $25 for twice a week. Good money for an easy job. Repeat customers.

Clean houses. I know a LOT of people that do this. Two times a week - $60 for 3 hours each time. That's $120 for some customers - but most do twice a month. Repeat customers - easy work.

Clean and organize a garage. $60 for about an hour and a half. Word of mouth business that will have them calling you.

Errand boy. For elderly people. Whatever they want - by the hour. Lots of people will do this 2 times a month. $20 an hour - twice what you're making now, plus gas fill up when done. Fantastic repeat and word of mouth advertising business.

NOW - once you STABILIZE and can pay your bills - THEN you can plan a much more full time business or career plan. Don't get me started on that. The sky is the limit. Go to amazon and search "starting a business" and you will find maybe 30 books that are cheap that can give you a million ideas. Spend $5 a book for two or three. Surf the internet.

Once you open your mind to possibilities, this is child's play. I can take the 20 hours you are not working in a week and fill them with much EASIER work for at LEAST twice what you're getting paid now. Think outside the box.

Good luck ~ and dream BIG.
Thank you. I appreciate the advice.

And good luck to everyone else who is in the same boat. I know that it is not easy. Nothing in life is apparently.

Just hang in there and do the best you can.
 
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socaldude

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If there is difficulty in gaining insight into opportunities its because you don't have the right axioms in mind.

It's what Elon Musk always talks about. Reasoning from first principles. Ayn Rand talked about this too.

It's what you need in physics and business.

It means reasoning from the most basic truths so that way there is no way our advanced propositions(P1,P2,P3,P4...etc) or insights can be wrong.

For example a few that I can think of off the bat:

A1: Money always involves the decision from a human element.

A2: Money will always be held tightly from a targeted party or person unless an inventive is proposed.

A3: Money is granted to the grantee when pain is alleviated or pleasure is the outcome.


We use the first princples to come to an idea that alleviates pain and creates convenience. It's easier to come up with ideas this way.

Now this may seem kind of dumb and obvious but most people don't get this.

Once you do this you can create some very advanced business insights that have a low probability of being wrong. and see opportunities most don't.

Mj's CENTS model is actually a form of axioms to reason off of.

 
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karogwaa

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Am in the same boat ur in its easy to think of an idea but so hard to put it into action.. from my side i was thinking of starting a camping business as here in our country its a very rare thing people don go out camping or picnic but i dont know how and where to go about this
 

LiveEntrepreneur

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It's actually not that hard, if you think in terms of "problems" trust me you will be pumping out new ideas every week if not every day if that's what you are focusing on. So what you need to do is say to your self "what problems do people have that I could fix?" or "what product can I make that will solve a pain point for the customer" after I had this line of thinking I had ideas flying left and right. Remember not all of them will be suitable but its a good start. Don't think in terms of "what is the next billion dollar app idea", in my experiences it didn't get me too far. And if you want to make millions you could think along the lines of "What are problems that millions of people face that I can solve". One useful tactic just walk around people, and listen to them complain they will say stuff like "I really hate doing ..." or "I am sick and tired of ..." from there you might be able to think of something. Good luck!
 
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karogwaa

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Thank you. I appreciate the advice
It's actually not that hard, if you think in terms of "problems" trust me you will be pumping out new ideas every week if not every day if that's what you are focusing on. So what you need to do is say to your self "what problems do people have that I could fix?" or "what product can I make that will solve a pain point for the customer" after I had this line of thinking I had ideas flying left and right. Remember not all of them will be suitable but its a good start. Don't think in terms of "what is the next billion dollar app idea", in my experiences it didn't get me too far. And if you want to make millions you could think along the lines of "What are problems that millions of people face that I can solve". One useful tactic just walk around people, and listen to them complain they will say stuff like "I really hate doing ..." or "I am sick and tired of ..." from there you might be able to think of something. Good luck!
Thank you. I appreciate the advice I'll definitly
It's actually not that hard, if you think in terms of "problems" trust me you will be pumping out new ideas every week if not every day if that's what you are focusing on. So what you need to do is say to your self "what problems do people have that I could fix?" or "what product can I make that will solve a pain point for the customer" after I had this line of thinking I had ideas flying left and right. Remember not all of them will be suitable but its a good start. Don't think in terms of "what is the next billion dollar app idea", in my experiences it didn't get me too far. And if you want to make millions you could think along the lines of "What are problems that millions of people face that I can solve". One useful tactic just walk around people, and listen to them complain they will say stuff like "I really hate doing ..." or "I am sick and tired of ..." from there you might be able to think of something. Good luck!
Thank you. I appreciate your advice
 

Mr.Brandtastic

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Don't overthink it. Easy? Well think of McDonald's as an example. Did Ray Kroc invent the hamburger? No. But what did he do? He changed the process, made it faster, easier, and more enjoyable. He changed the atmosphere from the drive-in to the drive-thru for burger consumption.

You're thinking legendary. That you need some absolutely brand new legendary idea to get started. Reality...you need a good idea that you can work with, market, brand, and sell. Add a new flare to an old product. Create engaging marketing. And KABLAMO, you have a strong business.

Good ideas with strong execution will always do well. Sure, a legendary idea with strong execution will do better. But good ideas with strong execution beat the snot out of no execution nobodies.

You can't sit and wait for years for that legendary idea to happen. And besides, if you had money and time, suddenly a legendary once in a decade idea might hit you. And then maybe, just maybe, you'll have the money and time from the first venture to finance it.
 
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Merging Left

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A lot of the advice here seems to be centered on generating ideas, mindset shifts, quick side hustles, etc.

My advice is to pause focusing on building up a business and focus exclusively on stabilizing your financial situation. You don't have enough money for rent/food... you can't afford to start a business right now.

Get a job. Keep grinding out interviews until you land one. Piece together a full time job via 2-3 part-time jobs. Build up a nest egg of cash that can be your safety net and initial business investment.

Don't jump into the wild ride that is entrepreneurship when the rest of your life is unstable and uncertain. One thing at a time.
 

Mad Scientist

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In addition to all the great ideas here, I would suggest living below your means in order to bootstrap even more capital for yourself. If you combine that with higher income, you're sure to gain capital at a slightly higher rate.

I know that frugality is sh#t on a lot by MJ in the books, but sometimes it's just necessary if you really need capital. Of course, don't count on extreme frugality to laugh your way to millions.
 
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Van Halen

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You need to pay rent but you just came off holiday?
You understand not chasing money but just want to make money?

Crack open the udemy and learn a skill that the world needs, bud.
 

Real Deal Denver

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EDIT: I've read this thread for some clarity (Coming up with new business ideas), so any advice on what to when you are desperate for money? Not much you can do right? Just keep hustling and praying you'll land a job?

There are 3 types of people in the world.

Ones that watch things happen.
Those that make thinks happen.
And those that wonder what the hill happened?

As the examples show, that I posted earlier, nobody has to "just" keep hustling and praying for anything. Or, maybe not. The world needs ditch diggers and fast food workers - nothing wrong with any kind of work, as work is work. Those jobs are probably your best bet, actually, because when you've decided you've had enough, you'll pick yourself up and do something for yourself.

Unless you really don't want to. If you thought and acted like an illegal immigrant trying to just get here - you would see things so much differently. You would take charge and do something productive. And you would stop "just" looking for a job.

Thank you. I appreciate the advice.

And good luck to everyone else who is in the same boat. I know that it is not easy. Nothing in life is apparently.

Just hang in there and do the best you can.

You sure like the word "just" a lot. And you're wrong about things not being easy. Did you read my post? I gave you MULTIPLE ways to make TWICE the money you are now - in EASY jobs that you can start right NOW. If that's not easy, I don't know what is. And I know many people doing those exact things that I handed you on a silver platter.

Quit saying "if only" or settling for "just" whatever you hope lands in your lap. Maybe you are cut out to be "just" an employee. Nothing wrong with that. I need em to run my business, and so does every other business out there.
 

steelandchrome

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Hey, If it was easy everyone would be doing it right ;)
I tried a few different things.... Did retail arbitrage from B&M to sell on amazon. Imported some samples and the vendor ran away with the money and then gave up on ecommerce for the time being. I started writing a book but lost interest about 60% through. I have done some minor real estate deals. I have traded crypto and been up anywhere from 5x to down 50%. I am lucky enough to have a solid steady fairly highly paid day job which I think held me back a few times from jumping head first but as a whole I am happy for every opportunity I chased and tried so I can use them to help push me further when I have the next great idea I want to try. I will hopefully finish the book sometime this year and see if it's worth trying to release and hope to have the time to find a new product to source and sell online, and I expect to do at least one fix/flip this year, I am sure I will try something else I haven't even thought of yet.

Pick something that interests you and run with it and if you fail then that's ok, pick yourself up and try something else. I am surprised noone else has said what used to be common responses to this type of question yet, just take action.
 
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You think too much. It's easy. Keep your ears open for gripes, complaining and pain.
 

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Last week I decided that going on Amazon and finding random products to import isn't what I want to keep doing for a long term business. It's been awesome and has given me my first tastes of entrepreneurship and passive income, but recently I started to feel that I was approaching everything the wrong way.

I got frustrated trying to come up with pains and problems because nothing came to mind that had potential. I sat down for a couple hours and read through @IceCreamKid "Astonishing Secrets" thread and came across one of his posts (top of page 7). He talked about how people had been asking him "what product should I sell?" and his response was that it has nothing to do with finding a product to sell. It's about finding problems and pains.

I've always read over how MJ talks about money in relation to chasing a cat, but never really understood it in until now. Right after reading that post by IceCreamKid, I asked myself... what problems would I want to solve if making money had nothing to do with it?

In thirty seconds I thought of a problem that I've had for years. I went to twitter and searched the phrase "I hate (insert problem/product here)" and page after page of people complaining about this problem showed up. This was because I stopped thinking about things through the filters of making money and losing money.
 

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I had this problem too for a while.

This is how I solved it:

I had to tell myself the truth.

I kept telling myself I couldn't come up with ideas but the truth was I had hundreds of them.

The problem was they were all dressed in overalls and looked like work.

My real issue was, I was looking for an easy idea that would make me money straight away.

Those were plentiful too but then another problem:

I was scared of competition. After all they were easy ideas and loads of people were stampeding to them.

The cure to this malady is to go for real value which means schlep ideas.

I think it was Paul Graham that came up with the 'schlep' concept.

Schlep ideas are ideas that are difficult in the sense that they are the true value creators. But no one wants to do them becuause they are difficult to execute and far from sexy.

The difficulty in executing them isn't necessarily technical but in the fact that you will be making peanuts or even 0 dollars per month with a lot of work for several months.

Why?:

A good litmus test of whether you are solving real problems is how fast you start making a profit from the business.

Solving real problems is usually chaotic in the beginning as you mostly don't have a road map as few people have tried solving them if any.

So you will spend most of your time at the beginning floundering, trying to figure out how to solve the problem.

Putting systems in place.

And processes.

This is a lot of work.

With mostly peanuts profit or even losses.

But these type of ideas are the best.

They give you a moat and have high levels of barrier to entry.

Most people won't even dare compete with you as they are all flocking for easy money. Some will even call you crazy.

By the time you figure the problem out you would be so far ahead that you will have your own mini monopoly.

Yes, copycats can still flood in, take your processes and out execute you but that's a topic for another day.

By the time you get all your processes for solving the problem down, this is where the magic starts happening.

You start raising your prices as you have truly filled a gap in the market and the market recognizes that.

Then the real truck load of profit starts rolling in.

Me-too businesses will prop up now at this point but that's just what they are at this point too - me-too businesses.

You are the icon now.

No need to fear them.

A lot of people give Tesla and Spacex a lot of flack.

'Oh, they can't turn a profit...boo-hoo'

But this exactly what Elon and Co are doing. Solving hard real problems with little to show for it.

But look at their valuations.

The market recognizes the fact that even if they make little to nothing now in profit, once they crack it they would be immense cash cows.

I had a roomie who had an amazon affiliate niche site (easy money syndrome).

He didn't make much because he was competiting intensely with other folks afflicted with the EM syndrome.

And this is the irony.

The pursuit of easy money leads to making money hard. Economics ensures that. Massive competition in a space leads to massively margin erosion.

You avoid the schlep ideas because it's a lot of work (in the beginning) with zero dollar pay and then go for the easy money that looks so alluring.

Then the easy money becomes the zero dollar pay because you are competing for a pie with gazillion of people.

And the schlep idea executed by someone else, you hear, is now churning profit so fast they can keep up.

And the most amazing part:

They did it under everyone's nose with the full pie to themselves.

Then comes the:

'Why didn't I think of that?'

You actually did.

But it looked like peanut pay and a lot of work to figure out a solution.

So you passed.

Back to my friend.

The major problem he had was creating content for his amazing niche site while he was at it.

Anytime he tried to outsource the articles came back with abysmal quality.

To top it all off, the prices most charged was hard to scale a niche site with. Unless, you had a significant budget for it.

Most didn't. Looking for easy money remember?

So he decided to solve this problem.

He started an SEO writing gig.

'For $1 you get a 3k-word SEO optimized article with unlimited revisions and a 24 hour turn around'

When he pitched this to me I told him flat out he was nuts.

There is no way you can do that and you are not going to make a dime charging $1.

'But that's what I wished someone was doing when I was running my niche sites'

Guys, he went ahead and got started.

He lost about 5kg in the first month.

It was brutal trying to figure out how he could do this and still turn a profit. Putting systems and processes in place.

I was expecting him to give up anytime soon but I was wrong...

Around the 3rd month, he had rented an apartment in Lagos and had hired 20 writers working full time for him.

He figured out a system that worked. He raised prices a bit to still solve the need of finding cheap but badass content for niche site owners with little to no budget to scale their site with.

He productized writing.

They will write an article in a particular niche and then sell it. Not wait for someone to order an article then write it.

When he took me in to their rented flat, there was all these charts and flow system which was their intellectual property that allowed them so what they did.

The funny part is:

He could take a competitor into that room, show them the charts and whatnot and they won't still copy him.

It was work!

TL;DR

You have the ideas. It just looks like work.





I have the will and determination to create a business or a business system. Once I have an idea in my mind, I can focus and get right to work. I am hard worker, and once I've decided to do a project, I do it.

But for whatever reason, I can't think of a damn good business idea. I just can't.

Now, I know the whole philosophy, where you're supposed to "provide value", "Stop chasing money and instead solve problems." I get all of that. But what do you do when you're in desperate need of money, and getting a job is very hard to do?

I've applied for so many jobs, and I've gone on interviews, and even though I have a part-time job ($10/hr at best 15-20 hours a week), I can't pay my bills, my rent, my car/car insurance, buy food, etc.

We just came off the holidays, and I know that some businesses are slow, but you NEED money to survive. It's that simple. I get the whole "provide value" thing, but let's be realistic. You need money to survive, and I'm thinking about starting a business because I need money coming in.

My problem is that I can't think of an idea that I am confident will be a seller. Going into business is a huge risk. Should I just take any idea I think "could" potentially be a seller and do it? And if it fails, it fails?

Everything is based on time, whether it is finding a job or starting a business. It's just that money is so scarce in my life right now, and I need a huge injection of it.

Does anyone have any advice that they could give me?

Thanks.


EDIT: I've read this thread for some clarity (Coming up with new business ideas), so any advice on what to when you are desperate for money? Not much you can do right? Just keep hustling and praying you'll land a job?
 
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robodale

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...
Solving real problems is usually chaotic in the beginning as you mostly don't have a road map as few people have tried solving them if any.

So you will spend most of your time at the beginning floundering, trying to figure out how to solve the problem.

Putting systems in place.

And processes.

This is a lot of work.

With mostly peanuts profit or even losses.

But these type of ideas are the best.

They give you a moat and have high levels of barrier to entry.

Most people won't even dare compete with you as they are all flocking for easy money. Some will even call you crazy.

By the time you figure the problem out you would be so far ahead that you will have your own mini monopoly.
...

EXCELLENT Response @banjoa !! ...and timely as well: I was up at 5:00AM this morning second-guessing the path I was taking and listing out three options:

Option 1: “Good Enough, Just Create Good Enough And Get It Out There”
Option 2: “Find Out Exactly What They Need (In My Existing Space), And Do That”
Option 3: “Validate A New Problem, And Solve That That”

After reading what you wrote, I realized I need to continue "Option 1: Get It Out There". I could spend weeks (months?) trying to find new problems to solve, but I already found some...and I should be trying to solve those. Are they valuable enough things to solve? I'm not 100% sure, but I'm hoping to get feedback to tell me that...or what they REALLY want/need.
 

danielfrenkel

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It's because you don't know.

This, I think, comes in two forms.

There's ignorance, and then there's insecurity.

You have both. Not to offend, as ignorant is used as an insult. But I don't mean to insult you; I mean to inform you that you don't know what you don't know. That's ignorance. You don't know WHAT could make a good business idea or WHY. You gotta know both.

Insecurity is the next part. Let's say you've stumbled upon an idea and you've done some due diligence (to the best of your ability; experienced business owners are better at this). You have the resources: money, time, whatever.

Then comes the actual decision of whether to do it. You don't know if it's going to be a success! You don't even know your CHANCES of success! sh*t, if only you knew your chances of success you'd do it, right?

Well... no.

What do I recommend you do?

Something. Just start something. Copy a common business model and sell something. Start a business that you know lots of people are succeeding from... then commit to it. (Just don't copy word-for-word the businesses that are publicly talked about on here, and don't copy your buddy's business unless he gives you the OK.) Start an Amazon or eBay business. Do freelancing for a bit. Cold call to sell websites. Start a niche site. Do retail arbitrage. I dunno, do something.

Whatever you have the funds to do, do it. Selling websites and doing freelancing costs $0. Your first Amazon test order could cost as little as $300.

Commit to it for, say, 6 months. You're gonna work on it every day for 6 months. At the end of 6 months, see how well you did.

Your ignorance won't fix itself. A business idea is not going to fall out of the sky. You need to be out in the marketplace, exposing yourself to people, markets, and demands.

Your insecurity won't fix itself either, because you have no basis with which to be secure. It also means you have the ultimate freedom to try anything without thinking it might be stupid as sh*t.

Don't worry too hard about how 'fastlane' it is, because you make $10/hr. You're not even on the road. Just get started.
I agree. I couldn't think of any ideas, so I started a shopify store which led me to learn marketing which then led me to learn to source from China, which led me to learn so many new things, as well as what needs are unmet in the market. So just do something!

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 

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