If Only I Had a Great Idea

Raise your hand if you’ve heard someone say,”If only I had a great idea, then I would start a business,” I’m sure if we were all sitting together we would look around and see everyone raising a hand. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this. It seems that in the age of Facebook, Google, and Apple everyone thinks that for a business to be successful they have to have some revolutionary new idea or product. Having a great idea may help, but it is not necessary to starting your own business. The only great idea you need to start a business is the idea that you want to be your own boss.

Now before you tell me how wrong I am, think about your own situation. Did the person who started the company you work for have a great idea? What about your previous jobs. Did those owners have great ideas? Did they revolutionize an industry?

I’ve worked for an electrician, contractor, and a car wash. Did the electrician have a new theory on electricity? No, he decided he wanted to be his own boss and learned a trade. Is being a contractor a revolutionary new idea? Nope. Contractors have been around for quite some time. What about a car wash? Other than that the car wash had a very specific, cookie cutter way of doing everything it was not a groundbreaking new way to wash cars.

Currently I work for a hose shop. That idea is nothing new, but the way we go to market is a bit different than your average hose shop. The reason we go to market differently is because the owner saw a need for it, and he thought he could make some money doing it. Most entrepreneurs I know started a business due to one of two reasons: The first is they believed they could do something better than what the current market was providing. The second reason is they believed they could do business slightly differently than how their competitors were doing business and that that difference would make them profitable.

There in lie’s the key for many people desiring to be their own boss. Instead of sitting around waiting for that brilliant idea to hit you, look around and see if there’s a need that’s not being addressed. Then see if you can do it in a way that is profitable.

Does having a great idea help? Sure it does, however it is not necessary if you’re wanting to start a business.

So what are you passionate about? Writing? Organizing? Coding? Event planning? Finance? Art? Whatever it is I bet there is a way you can make money at it. Will you IPO and be a millionaire afterwards? Probably not. Odds are actually stacked against you for your business lasting longer than four years. You will however be your own boss and have all the flexibility that comes with that. You’ll have the chance to build something from the ground up, and you’ll have the chance to have a career doing something you enjoy.

In the end waiting for a great idea is an excuse. Don’t look back at the end of your career and realize this excuse kept you from chasing your dreams.