Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#1

Post by ryeguy_24 » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:23 PM UTC

Enough is enough. It’s now 2018 and I’ve spent months trying to come up with good side business/product ideas and have hit an analysis paralysis point with no good ideas. I’d like to focus on small business problems but just can’t seem to find any. I’ve emailed businesses, scoured the web and am having little luck. My last product was a hypothesis that never gained traction so I’m now extra cautious (maybe too much) about jumping into any new unvalidated ideas.

Any entrepreneurial advice on how to get out of this funk? And also any advice/approaches on how to identify a good idea?

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#2

Post by ajeet_dhaliwal » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:34 PM UTC

What do you do now? I found problems at work.

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#3

Post by troels » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:42 PM UTC

Did you mail businesses out of the blue? What did you write to them?

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#4

Post by ryeguy_24 » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:45 PM UTC

troels wrote: post #3

Did you mail businesses out of the blue? What did you write to them?

I did. I emailed a bunch of different smaller companies in different sectors/industries. Explained to them that I build software to help small companies and am interested in knowing if they either have been looking for a product that doesn’t exist or are unhappy with a current product. Got some friendly responses but most said things are working well.

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#5

Post by nofilter » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:48 PM UTC

I would also be happy to find a cool thing to work on the side that could benefit people and/or companies. But, just like you, am not exactly the "Idea generator".

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#6

Post by random42 » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:50 PM UTC

ryeguy_24 wrote: post #4

troels wrote: post #3

Did you mail businesses out of the blue? What did you write to them?

I did. I emailed a bunch of different smaller companies in different sectors/industries. Explained to them that I build software to help small companies and am interested in knowing if they either have been looking for a product that doesn’t exist or are unhappy with a current product. Got some friendly responses but most said things are working well.

You asked the wrong question. You should only ask how do they work, and think yourself about the solution. They are business, not software developers.

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#7

Post by internetxplorer » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:52 PM UTC

A few Ideas I want someone to work on:

- Code/Product Documentation SaaS tool for early stage tech companies (very few good products, one is ReadMe.io)

- An ad network for progressive web apps (PWA have good future and as of now there is no exclusive ad network for them)

- CRM kind of SaaS app for startup founders (where founders can manage all their relationship, communication and contacts like investors, journalists, team, power users, etc.)

You wanted B2B so I shared those. I have a few B2C ideas as well in case you'd like to explore them as well. Hope it was helpful.

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#8

Post by narrator » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:52 PM UTC

You could consult and see what problems businesses are having that you work with.

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#9

Post by stfwn » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:54 PM UTC

Speaking as an anthropologist: go into the field. I bet very few great ideas came from behind a desk. Ask people with jobs you don’t know much about simple questions that are not directly aimed at finding out what you can sell them. Be genuinely interested in their day.

“What do you do first when you get to work?”, “Do you dress a certain way?”, “Do you eat with co-workers or alone?”, “Do you like to go outside during the day?”, “What are your thoughts on ?”.

It surprises me time and time again how deep a seemingly simple line of work turns out to be, and how many simple things are in a complex job. If you ask many questions, something that you have good thoughts about on is bound to pop up.

Re: Ask HN: It’s 2018, what to build now?

#10

Post by ryeguy_24 » Mon, Jan 01, 2018, 10:54 PM UTC

random42 wrote: post #6

ryeguy_24 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did. I emailed a bunch of different smaller companies in different sectors/industries. Explained to them that I build software to help small companies and am interested in knowing if they either have been looking for a product that doesn’t exist or are unhappy with a current product. Got some friendly responses but most said things are working well.

You asked the wrong question. You should only ask how do they work, and think yourself about the solution. They are business, not software developers.

I feel like they would want some incentive to disclose the workings of their business. Have you had good results with this approach?