My blog focuses on Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Many people want to get into business, but do you need unique ideas of your own? Not necessarily. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Become An Entrepreneur When You Have No Original Ideas Of Your Own.
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Many of the world’s leading business gurus say that being original is overrated. Most people are better off simply copying what’s worked before and running with it.
That’s because most of the best ideas have already been discovered. Ultimately, it is just a question of copying them.
But how do you do that?
That’s where this blog can help. It explores how you can become an entrepreneur, even if you aren’t the most creative person in the world.
Try To Solve A Common Problem
The easiest thing to do is to look around for a common problem that people have and then build something that solves it. You can see if your target audience is currently being served and, if not, make moves to provide a service for them.
The best way to do this is to talk to people about their pain points. Try to figure out where local services are letting people down and then insert yourself as a solution to the issue.
If you can observe an obvious problem in your surroundings, that helps, too. Communities will often live with something awful until someone comes up with an answer.
Improve An Existing Business Model
Another thing you can try is to improve an existing business model. You might like a company operating in your area, but dislike how they go about their work.
Ideally, what you want is a business model you can copy and then improve on easily. You don’t want something that’s going to require millions of dollars in VC funding.
What’s nice about this idea is how it provides you a clear path into the market. You only need to improve on the existing model by 10% in two or three domains to start dominating the market.
For example, if you want to copy a restaurant model, you can often win by serving customers 10% faster and improving food quality by 10%.
Use A Franchise Model
You could also purchase a franchise. These allow you to run your own business but get all the branding, support, ideas, and equipment you need from the licensing company.
Most franchises out there right now are brands you probably already recognize. McDonald’s, Subway, and Starbucks are the most famous examples, but there are countless others. These businesses usually succeed because you already have all the processes and brand support you need. All you have to do is run the company.
Partner With An Idea Generator
If you’re still stuck for original ideas but you want to create something new, you can partner with idea generators. These people are often visionary and understand specific niches or verticals well, allowing them to provide you with tip-top ideas.
You can often find these people on platforms like LinkedIn and X. Some will charge for their services, but most will be satisfied with being silent partners in your company in exchange for a small portion of the equity.
Start A Side Hustle
You could also try starting a side hustle and working from there. Many people discover that working a second job provides them with new ideas, allowing them to do something better, often in their regular 9 to 5.
For example, a lot of tutors wind up starting tutoring agencies. They transfer their clients over to their new platform and offer a better service than the old one.
The same goes for builders. Contractors often start their own firms instead of working for their existing ones because they see ways to boost productivity, improve management, and better satisfy customers.
Leverage Trends And Market Gaps
Another method is to leverage trends and market gaps. Figuring out what people are missing or interested in is often much more valuable than trying to develop something totally original.
X and TikTok are great platforms for discovering trend ideas. These have trending sections where you can see what’s popular today or this week, allowing you to get a sense of the public mood. Then, you can build products around these using whatever talents you have to offer.
For example, if your customers are obsessed with eco-friendly toothbrushes but local stores don’t have these, then you could start offering them. Simple changes like this are often enough to get the ball rolling and create excitement.
So there you have it: some of the ways you can become an entrepreneur even if you have no original ideas. Don’t tell yourself you have to be like a tech bro when there are countless other paths to wealth and success.
