Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

jcamarena.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 24 posts

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#11

Post by j_camarena »

variousbagels wrote: post #10
j_camarena wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the feedback :)!... I'm still reading and fixing typos .. but i was finishing the Spanish version of my article first. Also, my English is not pretty good because is not my primary language.

I apologize that that came off as rude. Your English is a lot better than my Spanish.

no problem, i already fixed some of the typos :).

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#12

Post by Mz »

j_camarena wrote: post #11
variousbagels wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I apologize that that came off as rude. Your English is a lot better than my Spanish.

no problem, i already fixed some of the typos :).

I’ts true?. Do i need to diversify my startup? Or its a better idea to put all the eggs in one basket?.

Should be (or at least a better version, not promising it's perfect):

Is it true? Do I need to diversify my startup? Or is it a better idea to put all my eggs in one basket?

(Feel free to copy and paste if you can't tell what I did different.)

best of luck

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#13

Post by j_camarena »

Mz wrote: post #12
j_camarena wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

no problem, i already fixed some of the typos :).

I’ts true?. Do i need to diversify my startup? Or its a better idea to put all the eggs in one basket?. Should be (or at least a better version, not promising it's perfect): Is it true? Do I need to diversify my startup? Or is it a better idea to put all my eggs in one basket? (Feel free to copy and paste if you can't tell what I did different.) best of luck

thanks

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#14

Post by Mz »

j_camarena wrote: post #13
Mz wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ts true?. Do i need to diversify my startup? Or its a better idea to put all the eggs in one basket?. Should be (or at least a better version, not promising it's perfect): Is it true? Do I need to diversify my startup? Or is it a better idea to put all my eggs in one basket? (Feel free to copy and paste if you can't tell what I did different.) best of luck

thanks

No problem. But you missed a detail: You still have a period after a question mark at the end of that paragraph. The period should be removed.

Take care.

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#15

Post by AznHisoka »

discreteevent wrote: post #2

This may sound naive but has anyone got any advice or links to advice on the best way to find real problems to solve, big or small. Preferably small, though because with the big ones its often harder to tell whether they are something that people really want. I'm looking for a way of finding the kinds of things where its relatively easy to tell whether they have a good chance of making some money right now. Its a tal…

I think it's best to tackle a small problem in a big space. Like helping people track their weight, which is small in scope, but the number of people who need to lose weight is gigantic. That way, you can gradually increase in scope as you gain more traction, instead of being limited.

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#17

Post by highace »

This hit home for me. Previously we had identified a problem, but instead of just getting out there and getting started with the quickest working solution, we spent ages building a fully comprehensive service that did it all and more. The outcome: we wasted resources building things we didnt need and werent used, while our competitors sailed off into the sunset.

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#18

Post by discreteevent »

sun123 wrote: post #16

I guess,finding a problem to solve is in itself sort of a talent.

That could be true but I think that very few people really have that talent. Most people have only one or two good ideas and those come from observing something in a domain that they are in. That's why pg gives the advice to work on something you know about because no doubt he has observed the relative success rate of people who work on things inside and outside of their domains. I think there may be a few people who do have the talent to find problems outside of their immediate domain but I also think that like any 'talent' its probably something you could learn and develop by observing those people, how they think, what they do etc.

Re: Find A Small Problem And Build A Simple Solution.

#20

Post by pbhjpbhj »

j_camarena wrote: post #7
jluan wrote: post #3

Find a big problem, identify a basis for its vector space, and build that basis. My opinion is that all "small problems with simple solutions" that have become successful were actually cases of big problems masquerading as small ones.

So true. The problem i see is that people limit them selves saying "to do X first i need W and i don't have W". You need to start with anything, NOW. No excuses. NOW... then you will find a bunch of new "problems" to solve. You are in a "blind spot" until the ball starts rolling.

>You need to start with anything, NOW. No excuses. //

So I've got a problem and an outline solution. I just need R&D capital and a few months in a workshop to create a prototype, get a patent and then take that looking for investments ...

How do I start "NOW" with what I have, no money, no time, no workshop.

Enthusiasm doesn't solve every problem.

Post reply on HN