Starting up your own business – waiting for that one top small business idea
A busy fruit shop business at the famous Pike Place markets in Seattle, Washington, USA
If you wait around trying to think up that one top small business idea that will transform your life and make you lots of money, then you will probably be still waiting around in 10 years time.
Inventing a new mousetrap is not the way. However, becoming a mouse expert, and solving mouse related problems in a humane and environmentally friendly way is a concept with much brighter prospects, if of course mice are your thing.
There are plenty of opportunities around that will make you lots of money. It’s a matter of choosing what’s right for you. So follow your interests, do some thorough research, find the demand and get going.
The fact is that not all ideas and opportunities will interest you. If that is the case, then you will probably find it hard to get out of bed each day to go to work. You will not make money if you don’t apply yourself.
The process of choosing ideas to start a small business is not unlike making decisions in years gone by about what you wanted to be when you left school. Some school leavers just know. They want to be a doctor, a lawyer or join the police … or whatever it is.
Other people aren’t as specific as that. All they know is that they want an office based job, or one where they are outdoors; or one that involves meeting people; one that involves working with their mind; or one that involves working with their hands. Others still can only define what they want to be in terms of what they don’t want to be.
Think about your strengths and your interests. What are you good at both at work and away from work? What kinds of things really fire your interest? What do you do with your leisure time? What gets you talking passionately from the heart? What engages you in an interesting conversation? The answer is in there somewhere.
Starting up your own business doesn’t mean that you have to invent a new gadget. You only have to sell people what they want, regardless of how many other competitors there are. Your ideas to start a small business could involve ways to improve an existing product or service or an innovative ways to combine products and services.
It doesn’t take much to create a business edge. Your top small business idea might be as simple as building a reputation as being an expert, being trustworthy, being on time, or being friendly. Consumers are not fools but they are generally easily pleased with ethics, politeness and good value for money (please don’t confuse at with cheap).
Until next time!
Gary