So it’s Monday morning again – the start of the traditional working or academic week. But if you have just graduated or been made redundant, it is just another day, isn’t it? The week may be stretching out in front of you, but you have no real idea about where you are heading.
Or maybe you are at work and are yearning to be somewhere else – to be doing something different and are already wishing it was Friday!

Things could be very different though if you were to work for yourself. Being your own boss and running your own business may be a dream, but is nonetheless a dream that can become a reality. And the first step in creating that reality is in creating an idea – the next step of course is acting on it.
Whilst we have dealt in other posts about sites you can look at for idea inspiration – such as Psfk, Springwise and Trendhunter, we thought today we would go back to basics – and look at the Top 5 Basic Ways to help you come up with your own StartUp idea.
Have a look – you never know  – Mondays might just become your new favourite day of the week…

Top 5 Ways to find a Startup Idea

Solve a Problem
For many entrepreneurs, this is the most common reason as to why they started their business and it is easy to understand why. If you view yourself as a customer, as an end-user, then you already have your market research – you have identified what irritates you, what annoys you and what you have an issue with. Once you have recognized the problem though, the key thing of course though is trying to figure out how to solve it. And thinking about all the other end-users when doing so – after all your “solution” may not be the one for everyone.

Think about change
Think about the world we live in – everything is changing and changing all the time. From technological changes to lifestyle changes – we are living in a time when changes happen at a more rapid pace than ever before.  Look at what changes are happening right now and how you can take advantage of them . Capitalize on current and future trends and react. One only has to look at the Apps phenomenon of the last couple of years to see how many entrepreneurs have been able to use changes in consumer trends to their advantage.

Improve an Existing Idea
Remember – ideas don’t have to be entirely new. Often the best ideas arise from someone simply identifying a better way or method of doing something and implementing it. You may see a business that could be so much more successful if only the owners did something different.  You may see a new market that they are not capitalizing on, or a more efficient way of doing something. Even if it is a large organization, the chances are that for them, implementing change and improvements may be quite a complex and time consuming process. You may actually be at a significant advantage in being a small startup. So..if you can do the same thing, only better, then do it.

Find a Niche
Whilst a huge market of potential customers may initially sound appealing, the reality is that if you concentrate on a niche market – you may have fewer customers but will also have less competition. Look for a potential niche market that is not getting serviced fully at present or who would most benefit and use your idea. Customize your idea to suit them. Narrow your focus and you potentially will widen your opportunities for success.

Find something that excites you
If you have a passion and a genuine interest in something, you will want to spend your time doing it. Without question, working at it will not seem like a chore . You will not need to be pushed into doing it. And therein lies the key – you will have the self motivation and desire that is absolutely essential if it is to succeed. So think about what excites you – what you enjoy doing and more importantly what you could see yourself doing for the next “X “number of years without ever dreading that Monday morning feeling.

WRZY4J3T9RTN