By now, we have recognised the 3Cs of opportunity that the internet playground offers, understood the possible business models, recognised the centrality of consumer need and are mindful of the 3Ps for the Net Enterprise. So, are we ready to get started? Sometimes, kick-starting the venture can become a real challenge akin to a writer who cannot write due to the 'block'. Once again, the starting point for us is identification and outlining of the consumer need. Of course there were the likes of Steve Jobs and Edwin Land who scoffed at this approach. It was apparently their belief that consumers are generally confused and hardly ever know what they want. Nevertheless, unless you are a genius like Jobs, its best to identify and outline a need before progressing further. There are of course several ways of knocking your mind around to solve this puzzle.
Think Big - Try and imagine what ails people or world at large and figure out a solution, if you can. And,as you may be aware, there are lots of hard challenges out there. As Steve Jobs said, people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones who do. If you walk down this path, this could be the most fulfilling journey you will ever undertake.
Think Small - just look at the people and society around you, instead of trying to gaze at the world in one go. Maybe, you will be able to discover a niche need felt in your area, your city or your country. Talking to people always helps, as it can unravel what is not at play in the open. Thinking small is a smart strategy. Think of it this way - if you succeed on a smaller scale, there will always be the foundation to think bigger.
Leverage your Abilities - evaluate the education and skills you have and try and marry them to the opportunities in those domains. Being in the domain of course helps identify opportunities faster. A doctor can easily suggest what the problems in the medical world are, albeit one might end up being somewhat biased, with this approach.
Evaluate your Experiences - try and identify through a hard look at your own experiences, of your own disaffections and frustrations. Maybe, one of them has a solution locked in your head.
Evaluate running businesses - sometimes its best to simply consider what already exists and look at ways of doing them better. Sometimes certain enterprise exists in a certain part of the world only. A lot of Indian internet enterprise was borne out of this philosophy. In fact, i would wager that 98-99% of the Net Enterprise originating from India, never originated from India at all. Most are copy and paste imitations of successful enterprise of the developed world. It is difficult to find an original thought emanating from here beyond the hotmail. This is in no way a sad commentary on our entrepreneurs, as in many cases they have taken the foreign idea but worked hard to leverage the local knowledge,customised solutions for the country and made them work. One cannot ignore the fact that India offers a unique set of execution-related challenges and cultural barriers.
There are of course zillion other ways of identifying the need gap. Sometimes, a change in regulation in your country or emergence of a new technology or an international event can catalyse a lot of new enterprise.
Once you have gone through with the grind of identifying the consumer need, it may not be enough. Make sure to roll it in your mind for a few days. You may also discuss with close friends and family and get their reactions. Sometimes, friends might think of your idea as crazy and it actuall is. And Sometimes they may think its crazy but its actually not.
In the end, even though its a good idea to have friends and folk on you side, its your call.
Get Started Pardner!
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