Focus on THE PROBLEM to prioratize ideas. BONUS: 3 Business Analysis

[MrG]

Community, in a post from last week I presented you the idea of teaching business skills to engineers. After doing a few interviews I found that the market may have a bigger pain, earning more money. See idea #3 below.

This revelation (solving a problem is more important than coming up with an idea) brought me back to the drawing board.

Now, by focusing on the urgency/pain level I have narrowed down ideas much quickly. All of them keeping the CENTS commandments in check.

After CENTS analysis these are the final contenders. Which one do you perceive as most fastlane?

1. B2B 3D Printing Consulting

• Credibility: HIGH - I've worked in the industry for 10 years, for the best material, software and equipment suppliers. I have a 360 holistic view on the market and what fits the need for each customer
• Competition: LOW - most are focusing on solving sophisticated projects for million dollar type of deployments, not scalable and very narrow customer base
• Customer: THOUSANDS - any engineering company owners and factory managers
• Problem: the industrial 3D printing market has a lot of noise and tech, but only a handful of applications and material-hardware-software combinations solve actual business problems.
• Offer:connecting the dots of the 3D printing industry and packaging them in simple deployments that improve a businesse's bottom line.
  • Starting point: 3D strategy sessions for 200€/h
  • Middle point: done with you 3D printing implementation roadmap for 2,500€
  • End-state: productized consulting of 3D printing knowledge based on the key findings of 100s of real customer strategy sessions and the content developed for implementation of 10s of 3D roadmaps (incl. community of engineers, weekly Q&As etc.) 1,500€ and 50€/month retainer.
• Urgency/Pain: LOW - businesses are in need of productivity solutions but do not necessarily look into 3D printing for it, they think its too sophisticated and they are not ready for it. Some may feel like they are being left behind but for most its not critical to their current day to day. Yet, I can deliver a productized recipe for savings of 50-90% in lead time and cost for product development and 90% for manufacturing tools which most will be interested in. Now, it's also true that if a company is ALREADY looking for 3DP solutions their anxiety levels are through the roof because of an overwhelming array of options and non-existent independent advice, they must rely on the advice of the resellers selling the equipment.
• Proof of Concept: this is a real market need, its my day job but its difficult to find the customers unless they are already in the equipment buying process.

2. MAKIGAMI for Freelancers

• Credibility: LOW - I have not been a freelancer myself but my best friends are. Yet, I have applied the same principles in the world's most efficient facotries and to start new businesses within corporate companies.
• Competition: LOW- most focus on getting them leads but not on fixing the basics of their mindset, strategy and business profitability.
• Customer: THOUSANDS - any freelancer (graphic design, pshycologist, accountant, real state agent...)
• Problem: freelancers quit their job and find themselves working more hours and no predictable funnel of qualified leads. Typically its all due to having little focus on a target customer, too broad service offering and no automated system to get leads.
• Offer: I've been applying "makigami" (systemic process improvement from lean manufacturing) to look at simple businesses such as freelancers. Through it you can map the current state and the desire state and remove everything that does not add value to the end state. For the desired end state there is a critical path to be streamlined; typically it has to do with automating sales and marketing towards a clear user persona providing a very specific offering. This process brings clarity and laser focus to what matters in a business to get to the desire state in terms of business outcomes (number of leads, customer results) and personal outcomes (money, time, vocation)
  • Starting point: makigami workshops for 500€
  • Middle point: done with you makigami workshops and follow-up: niche selection, offer crafting, marketing funnel and sales training 2,500€
  • End-state: productized makigami and productized niche selection, offer crafting, marketing funnel and sales training (incl. community of freelancers, weekly Q&As etc.) 1,500€ and 50€/month retainer
• Urgency/Pain: HIGH - freelancers feel like slaves of their own craft and want to get predictable revenue
• Proof of Concept: VALIDATED - i've been helping 5 friends that are freelancers successfully and the value is clear to them

2. Personal Finance for Educated Millennials

• Credibility: MEDIUM - I have walked the talk myself
• Competition: HIGH - there are hundreds of blogs and fishy platforms promoting dubious financial advice.
• Customer: MILLIONS - any millennial wondering how to get rid of debt, climb the corporate ladder or wondering how to get a mortgage before 40 lol
• Problem: millennials lack financial planning and if its not addressed early they will find themselves stuck not able to buy a house, not able to build a family etc.
• Offer: realistic approach towards financial independence for educated people; save more, earn more and eventually invest. Can open up towards side-hustle and entrepreneurship but the core is to have a financial plan based on your life's outlook. But definetly NOT start with INVESTING since that's how most internet gurus advice to start.
  • Starting point: 1on1 coaching for earning more through salary negotiation for 500€
  • Middle point: done with you financial planning (budgeting, saving, buy vs rent, lifestyle creep analysis, wealth allocation strategies..) 2,500€
  • End-state: productized financial planning with deep dives into different strategies for different situations (low, medium, high earners) and risk tolerances (employee vs entrepreneur)
• Urgency/Pain: HIGH - every male 20-30 has some sort of financial goal in their 12-3 year plan but most have no clue how to get there ("a better job", "pay off debt", "get a mortgage") or will be disappointed once they know what it really takes to get there (20% downpayment plus 10% costs and 3 years of income proof before you get a mortgage)
• Proof of Concept: VALIDATED - i've been helping 3 friends to build a realistic plan for their financial goals, and 2 of them payed me 100€ without me asking.

Which one would you pick?

#1 requires me to quit my job but its the one I have the most preparation, also it's the one that's the hardest to build content but the one that has more perceived worth. My main concern is that the prospects are rather difficult to find compared to 2 and 3, where the target customers are practically anyone in the world.

#2 is what I really enjoy doing as I connect directly to people and businesses and it comes like second nature to me to quickly connect their dots and craft winning strategies

#3 is a problem I'd love to solve and care about since my family did SO BAD in that department and I believe every 20-30yo must open their eyes early on in order to position themselves the best they can to have an OK chance at life. However, it's the one that's more "smoke selling".

 

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[afrankmore]

Dunnapovz, op e qutv gsun metv xiil O qsitipvif zua vji ofie ug viedjoph catopitt tlommt vu iphopiist. Egvis fuoph e gix opviswoixt O guapf vjev vji nesliv nez jewi e cohhis qeop, iespoph nusi nupiz. Tii ofie #3 cimux.

Vjot siwimevoup (tumwoph e qsucmin ot nusi onqusvepv vjep dunoph aq xovj ep ofie) csuahjv ni cedl vu vji fsexoph cuesf.

Pux, cz gudatoph up vji ashipdz/qeop miwim O jewi pessuxif fuxp ofiet nadj raodlmz. Emm ug vjin liiqoph vji DIPVT dunnepfnipvt op djidl.

Egvis DIPVT epemztot vjiti esi vji gopem dupvipfist. Xjodj upi fu zua qisdiowi et nutv getvmepi?

1. C2C 3F Qsopvoph Duptamvoph

• Dsifocomovz: JOHJ - O'wi xuslif op vji opfatvsz gus 10 ziest, gus vji citv nevisoem, tugvxesi epf iraoqnipv taqqmoist. O jewi e 360 jumotvod woix up vji nesliv epf xjev govt vji piif gus iedj datvunis
• Dunqivovoup: MUX - nutv esi gudatoph up tumwoph tuqjotvodevif qsukidvt gus nommoup fummes vzqi ug fiqmuznipvt, puv tdemecmi epf wisz pessux datvunis ceti
• Datvunis: VJUATEPFT - epz iphopiisoph dunqepz uxpist epf gedvusz nepehist
• Qsucmin: vji opfatvsoem 3F qsopvoph nesliv jet e muv ug puoti epf vidj, cav upmz e jepfgam ug eqqmodevoupt epf nevisoem-jesfxesi-tugvxesi duncopevoupt tumwi edvaem catopitt qsucmint.
• Uggis:duppidvoph vji fuvt ug vji 3F qsopvoph opfatvsz epf qedlehoph vjin op tonqmi fiqmuznipvt vjev onqsuwi e catopitti't cuvvun mopi.
  • Tvesvoph quopv: 3F tvsevihz tittoupt gus 200€/j
  • Noffmi quopv: fupi xovj zua 3F qsopvoph onqminipvevoup suefneq gus 2,500€
  • Ipf-tvevi: qsufadvobif duptamvoph ug 3F qsopvoph lpuxmifhi cetif up vji liz gopfopht ug 100t ug siem datvunis tvsevihz tittoupt epf vji dupvipv fiwimuqif gus onqminipvevoup ug 10t ug 3F suefneqt (opdm. dunnapovz ug iphopiist, xiilmz R&Et ivd.) 1,500€ epf 50€/nupvj siveopis.
• Ashipdz/Qeop: MUX - catopittit esi op piif ug qsufadvowovz tumavoupt cav fu puv pidittesomz muul opvu 3F qsopvoph gus ov, vjiz vjopl ovt vuu tuqjotvodevif epf vjiz esi puv siefz gus ov. Tuni nez giim moli vjiz esi cioph migv cijopf cav gus nutv ovt puv dsovodem vu vjios dassipv fez vu fez. Ziv, O dep fimowis e qsufadvobif sidoqi gus tewopht ug 50-90% op mief voni epf dutv gus qsufadv fiwimuqnipv epf 90% gus nepagedvasoph vuumt xjodj nutv xomm ci opvisitvif op. Pux, ov't emtu vsai vjev og e dunqepz ot EMSIEFZ muuloph gus 3FQ tumavoupt vjios epyoivz miwimt esi vjsuahj vji suug cideati ug ep uwisxjimnoph essez ug uqvoupt epf pup-iyotvipv opfiqipfipv efwodi, vjiz natv simz up vji efwodi ug vji sitimmist timmoph vji iraoqnipv.
• Qsuug ug Dupdiqv: vjot ot e siem nesliv piif, ovt nz fez kuc cav ovt foggodamv vu gopf vji datvunist apmitt vjiz esi emsiefz op vji iraoqnipv cazoph qsuditt.

2. NELOHENO gus Gsiimepdist

• Dsifocomovz: MUX - O jewi puv ciip e gsiimepdis nztimg cav nz citv gsoipft esi. Ziv, O jewi eqqmoif vji teni qsopdoqmit op vji xusmf't nutv iggodoipv geduvsoit epf vu tvesv pix catopittit xovjop dusqusevi dunqepoit.
• Dunqivovoup: MUX- nutv gudat up hivvoph vjin mieft cav puv up goyoph vji cetodt ug vjios nopftiv, tvsevihz epf catopitt qsugovecomovz.
• Datvunis: VJUATEPFT - epz gsiimepdis (hseqjod fitohp, qtjzdumuhotv, edduapvepv, siem tvevi ehipv...)
• Qsucmin: gsiimepdist raov vjios kuc epf gopf vjintimwit xusloph nusi juast epf pu qsifodvecmi gappim ug raemogoif mieft. Vzqodemmz ovt emm fai vu jewoph movvmi gudat up e veshiv datvunis, vuu csuef tiswodi uggisoph epf pu eavunevif tztvin vu hiv mieft.
• Uggis: O'wi ciip eqqmzoph "neloheno" (tztvinod qsuditt onqsuwinipv gsun miep nepagedvasoph) vu muul ev tonqmi catopittit tadj et gsiimepdist. Vjsuahj ov zua dep neq vji dassipv tvevi epf vji fitosi tvevi epf sinuwi iwiszvjoph vjev fuit puv eff wemai vu vji ipf tvevi. Gus vji fitosif ipf tvevi vjisi ot e dsovodem qevj vu ci tvsienmopif; vzqodemmz ov jet vu fu xovj eavunevoph temit epf neslivoph vuxesft e dmies atis qistupe qsuwofoph e wisz tqidogod uggisoph. Vjot qsuditt csopht dmesovz epf metis gudat vu xjev nevvist op e catopitt vu hiv vu vji fitosi tvevi op visnt ug catopitt uavdunit (pancis ug mieft, datvunis sitamvt) epf qistupem uavdunit (nupiz, voni, wudevoup)
  • Tvesvoph quopv: neloheno xusltjuqt gus 500€
  • Noffmi quopv: fupi xovj zua neloheno xusltjuqt epf gummux-aq: podji timidvoup, uggis dsegvoph, neslivoph gappim epf temit vseopoph 2,500€
  • Ipf-tvevi: qsufadvobif neloheno epf qsufadvobif podji timidvoup, uggis dsegvoph, neslivoph gappim epf temit vseopoph (opdm. dunnapovz ug gsiimepdist, xiilmz R&Et ivd.) 1,500€ epf 50€/nupvj siveopis
• Ashipdz/Qeop: JOHJ - gsiimepdist giim moli tmewit ug vjios uxp dsegv epf xepv vu hiv qsifodvecmi siwipai
• Qsuug ug Dupdiqv: WEMOFEVIF - o'wi ciip jimqoph 5 gsoipft vjev esi gsiimepdist taddittgammz epf vji wemai ot dmies vu vjin

2. Qistupem Gopepdi gus Ifadevif Nommippoemt

• Dsifocomovz: NIFOAN - O jewi xemlif vji veml nztimg
• Dunqivovoup: JOHJ - vjisi esi japfsift ug cmuht epf gotjz qmevgusnt qsunuvoph facouat gopepdoem efwodi.
• Datvunis: NOMMOUPT - epz nommippoem xupfisoph jux vu hiv sof ug ficv, dmonc vji dusqusevi meffis us xupfisoph jux vu hiv e nusvhehi cigusi 40 mum
• Qsucmin: nommippoemt medl gopepdoem qmeppoph epf og ovt puv effsittif iesmz vjiz xomm gopf vjintimwit tvadl puv ecmi vu caz e juati, puv ecmi vu caomf e genomz ivd.
• Uggis: siemotvod eqqsuedj vuxesft gopepdoem opfiqipfipdi gus ifadevif qiuqmi; tewi nusi, iesp nusi epf iwipvaemmz opwitv. Dep uqip aq vuxesft tofi-jatvmi epf ipvsiqsipiastjoq cav vji dusi ot vu jewi e gopepdoem qmep cetif up zuas mogi't uavmuul. Cav figopivmz PUV tvesv xovj OPWITVOPH topdi vjev't jux nutv opvispiv hasat efwodi vu tvesv.
  • Tvesvoph quopv: 1up1 duedjoph gus iespoph nusi vjsuahj temesz pihuvoevoup gus 500€
  • Noffmi quopv: fupi xovj zua gopepdoem qmeppoph (cafhivoph, tewoph, caz wt sipv, mogitvzmi dsiiq epemztot, xiemvj emmudevoup tvsevihoit..) 2,500€
  • Ipf-tvevi: qsufadvobif gopepdoem qmeppoph xovj fiiq fowit opvu foggisipv tvsevihoit gus foggisipv tovaevoupt (mux, nifoan, johj iespist) epf sotl vumisepdit (inqmuzii wt ipvsiqsipias)
• Ashipdz/Qeop: JOHJ - iwisz nemi 20-30 jet tuni tusv ug gopepdoem huem op vjios 12-3 zies qmep cav nutv jewi pu dmai jux vu hiv vjisi ("e civvis kuc", "qez ugg ficv", "hiv e nusvhehi") us xomm ci foteqquopvif updi vjiz lpux xjev ov siemmz velit vu hiv vjisi (20% fuxpqeznipv qmat 10% dutvt epf 3 ziest ug opduni qsuug cigusi zua hiv e nusvhehi)
• Qsuug ug Dupdiqv: WEMOFEVIF - o'wi ciip jimqoph 3 gsoipft vu caomf e siemotvod qmep gus vjios gopepdoem huemt, epf 2 ug vjin qezif ni 100€ xovjuav ni etloph.

Xjodj upi xuamf zua qodl?

#1 siraosit ni vu raov nz kuc cav ovt vji upi O jewi vji nutv qsiqesevoup, emtu ov't vji upi vjev't vji jesfitv vu caomf dupvipv cav vji upi vjev jet nusi qisdiowif xusvj. Nz neop dupdisp ot vjev vji qsutqidvt esi sevjis foggodamv vu gopf dunqesif vu 2 epf 3, xjisi vji veshiv datvunist esi qsedvodemmz epzupi op vji xusmf.

#2 ot xjev O siemmz ipkuz fuoph et O duppidv fosidvmz vu qiuqmi epf catopittit epf ov dunit moli tidupf pevasi vu ni vu raodlmz duppidv vjios fuvt epf dsegv xoppoph tvsevihoit

#3 ot e qsucmin O'f muwi vu tumwi epf desi ecuav topdi nz genomz fof TU CEF op vjev fiqesvnipv epf O cimoiwi iwisz 20-30zu natv uqip vjios izit iesmz up op usfis vu qutovoup vjintimwit vji citv vjiz dep vu jewi ep UL djepdi ev mogi. Juxiwis, ov't vji upi vjev't nusi "tnuli timmoph".

O moli zuas uqvoup 1 nutvmz cideati ug zuas iyqisoipdi, juxiwis, O vjopl #3 nohjv ci vji sohjv mepi. Ov tumwoph e qsucmin epf jimqoph uvjist. Vjot ot nz tahhitvoup epf uqopoup cetif ugg zuas qutv.

 

[LifeisSuffering]

O xomm tez vji upi cideati zuas iyqisoipdi epf vji miwim ug ipvsz ot johj
Vji #3 o fup'v tii jux ov gov op Vji DIPVT dunnepfnipvt, og zua dep iyqmeop vu ni O vjopl o xomm djuuti vji 3