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Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

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Re: Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

#21

Post by Irongirl1 »

I have folders full. Which I never plan on executing on...because 1) I'm not techie and have no patience with trying to following some of the awful instructions which go with these no-code tools. They seem to be built as some sort of lead-gen tool, rather than actually being built to help non-techies spin up products and 2) if any of them actually took off, I'd be stuck in an operating position...and that is definitely not my wheelhouse.

I find problems by reading the newspaper. I generate a workable solution on paper and in my head and then it stays on my laptop in perpetuity. The newspaper filter makes sorting for broad applicability a non-issue. If it's in the paper, it's definitely mass-market. So then I just work from the A+/-B = C in which a is the problem, B is generally the entity having the problem and C equals the stakeholders. "C" varies a great deal because while they may be the ones having the problem, they may not be the ones willing to pay for a solution.

I'll send you whatever file you want, as long as you tell me what industries you are most interested in and send me a dropbox address or some way to anonymously get it to you.

Re: Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

#22

Post by pramodbiligiri »

I understand the feeling. But your question is also lacking some specifics as to what skills you have, what domains you know etc.

My suggestions: (note that I myself have not created any startup or successful product!)

1. Forget the “creative” framing of startups. “Idea” and “Inspiration” are not the appropriate words when thinking about a new product. A customer problem that you are equipped to solve, which will hopefully make money - this is a humbler but more effective way of framing your situation.

2. Once you decide you’ll only look at problems, you’ll quickly realize there are only certain problems you’re capable of solving - based on your market reach, skills, capital, domain knowledge, geography etc. Use these to drastically narrow down the problems you can realistically solve. Acknowledging these constraints is liberating as you are now free to explore a smaller space with more depth and focus.

3. Start the actual execution - even a “little bets”/Lean approach where you are willing to throw away your solution (note: avoid using words like Idea) if it’s not useful enough.

There’s a lot of advice and literature that bridges the gaps between Steps 2 and 3 above. I’ve linked to some below that I found to be good.

Further reading:

- Paul Graham’s How to get startup ideas, The power of the marginal.

- Rob Walling’s phenomenal material (his website, books and podcasts like Startups for the Rest of Us), and IndieHackers. Arguably Walling’s advice is more applicable to a majority of new companies as its only a few that raise VC.

- The Jobs To Be Done framework by Bob Moesta and Clayton Christensen. This will keep your focus on the customer side of things

- Basic product positioning questions. Use April Dunford’s writing to pin this down.

Re: Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

#23

Post by homedepotdave »

Irongirl1 wrote: post #21

I have folders full. Which I never plan on executing on...because 1) I'm not techie and have no patience with trying to following some of the awful instructions which go with these no-code tools. They seem to be built as some sort of lead-gen tool, rather than actually being built to help non-techies spin up products and 2) if any of them actually took off, I'd be stuck in an operating position...and that is definite…

Interesting, what kind of phrasing do you look for in newspaper articles? I can't think of many times an article has made me think, this is a big opportunity, but I probably need to read between the lines more to get to that conclusion.

Would be very curious to see, if you don't mind sending. I made this email address: dave.lookingforideas@gmail.com. Industry-wise, I guess Tech, FinTech, AI, SaaS/Software, etc.

Re: Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

#24

Post by homedepotdave »

meekaaku wrote: post #9

I have some ideas I believe that, if done well, will be transformative: Problem 1: Architecture/Engineering is still very much traditional. Various distributed teams across cities/countries email CAD (mostly autocad) files back and forth or host it in cloud, with changes highlighted in revision clouds. The delivery of final design involved the interplay of specialisted teams, architecture/structure/M&E/QS/Civl/Onsite…

I assume you're in this industry? If you'd be potentially interested in partnering, I'd be interested in learning more. You could shoot me an email at dave.lookingforideas@gmail.com

Re: Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

#25

Post by homedepotdave »

snyena wrote: post #6

I have the opposite problem. I know what to build but I don't know how.

Haha, I'd rather have that problem than mine! If you are looking for someone to help, I'd be curious to hear about the idea. You could email me at dave.lookingforideas@gmail.com

Re: Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

#26

Post by mayerxo »

1. Organize specialty travel tours Make a specialized travel tour company to cater to individual lifestyle preferences. A tour startup made for solo travelers, a food-based tour geared towards certain diet preferences, or even an age-based tour company could gain traction across various demographics.

2. Create an airport-centric app Creating an all-in-one app that allows travelers to navigate unfamiliar airports with real-time information is a relatively untapped startup idea. Though various travel applications exist, an app that shows amenities, TSA line wait times, ground transportation options, and airport maps could be useful to passengers.

3. Become a destination wedding planner Take the stress out of wedding planning for couples and travel to exciting places around the globe. If you love exploring, are great under pressure, and don’t mind working long hours, this could be the startup idea for you.

4. Start a SaaS company.

I think this is a very profitable type of business, I want to start something like https://audext.com/

Re: Ask HN: How do I find a good startup idea?

#27

Post by jannieinIT »

1. Organize specialty travel tours Make a specialized travel tour company to cater to individual lifestyle preferences. A tour startup made for solo travelers, a food-based tour geared towards certain diet preferences, or even an age-based tour company could gain traction across various demographics.

2. Create an airport-centric app Creating an all-in-one app that allows travelers to navigate unfamiliar airports with real-time information is a relatively untapped startup idea. Though various travel applications exist, an app that shows amenities, TSA line wait times, ground transportation options, and airport maps could be useful to passengers.

3. Become a destination wedding planner Take the stress out of wedding planning for couples and travel to exciting places around the globe. If you love exploring, are great under pressure, and don’t mind working long hours, this could be the startup idea for you.

4. Start a SaaS company.

I think this is a very profitable type of business, I want to start something like https://audext.com/

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