If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur waiting for that big idea, keep reading!
I am on the same boat as you. However, recently I compiled all my brainstorming “triggers” and after a ton of thought and writing, I got some really, really cool ideas (at least 5 I could take reasonable action on) that I could see helping a TON of people if executed well. If you’re stuck and waiting for a huge a-ha moment, it would be worth taking the time to go through all of these sessions. The exercises are only as good as the amount of time you spend on them.
I was surprised at the stuff I came up with! Many of them are so big, valuable, and revolutionary that it’s actually kind of scary to think about executing them! The amount of learning, knowledge, and growing I would have to do as a person would mean I would be a completely different human. Isn’t that what Fastlane is all about, though?
Note: many of these “triggers” are compiled from different sources, such as Reddit threads, podcasts, MJ’s books, and other places. I am not taking credit for any of these, just for putting them together in one place as a resource for the forum.
Ideally, you would want to take each line and brainstorm for a few minutes. Write out everything you can think of, then move on to the next line. You can always go back and pick out the “good” ideas.
Okay, get a piece of paper or ten, and here we go!
Brainstorming Session #1 :
What would people like to do, but can’t because xyz?
What do you wish someone would build so you could use it?
What would you pay for right now?
What kind of company in the future will cause people to say “this replaced x”?
What’s the best way to solve this problem?
What’s unconsciously ruled out as impossible?
What’s tedious in people’s lives and jobs?
What’s unusual about you that makes your needs different than others?
Who wants this so much, they would use a crappy version?
What is a problem that many people experience? (Things like: complaints of change, expectations, fraud, and boredom?)
Brainstorming Session #2: Become irreplaceable and indispensable...FEED the starving crowd! FIND their pain points and needs.
Get a piece of paper. On the left hand, write “starving crowd” and on the right side, write “way to quench their hunger.”
Example I am very familiar with: Parents of autistic/special needs children NEED reliable caretakers. They need someone to supervise their children pretty much 24/7. They have emergencies and special occasions and sometimes at last notice. It’s hard to find reliable people to take care of their kids. Same with parents of toddlers who pay an arm and a leg for daycare while they are at work. These people would pay a LOT of money if someone were to invent a cheaper, safer, and better way for this problem to be solved.
Another example is fat people. Kind of ironic to mention them as a “starving crowd," but SERIOUSLY, how many fat people would pay A LOT of money if weight loss were easier somehow? (And not in a scammy, Multi-level Marketing sort of way?) Uh, pretty much every single one of them?! (I’m going to leave this here, since one of my big ideas has to do with this
)Brainstorming Session #3: Don’t chase the cat… Chase what attracts the cat!
That is: chase problems, needs, deficiencies, pain points, and emotions.
Fill in the blank:
I hate….
I don’t like….
This frustrates me….
Why is it like this…?
Do I have to do xyz?
I wish there was...
I’m tired of ….
Brainstorming Session #4
Get a piece of paper. Make two columns. On left hand side, write “Experience I have.” Spend some time writing things. It could be really random things, not just career-wise experience. For example, I have experience babysitting, being bilingual, being an older sister, navigating the complicated healthcare system in the U.S, being a commuter college student, wearing makeup, living in a place where it snows, online dating, and lifting weights. On the right hand side, write “needs, struggles, and opportunities.” Go through every single thing you have experienced and write as many needs, struggles, and opportunities within that area, or related in any way.
For example, one struggle I have is that I want to wear sunscreen to protect my face and body from cancer and premature aging. This is something that is important to me and many other people. However, it gets messy, it can get expensive, and many sunscreens leave a white cast on my tan skin. What if there was a way to change sunscreen to a pill form, or a yearly shot, or some other way to get that protection? I would pay so much money for that! It would be so convenient and would save me a lot of time. I am always on the hunt for a better sunscreen or way to prevent aging.
Brainstorming Session #5: How Can YOU Help people….
Feel better?
Solve a problem?
Look better?
Be more educated?
Give them security?
Feel a positive emotion?
Satisfy their appetite?
Give them hope?
Make things easier?
For example, even though I am an above-average height woman, a common struggle I hear from short men is that they would like to be taller. There are currently very limited ways for this to happen. There is a surgery where these men break the bones on their legs and have to lay on a bed for months so that they can grow a couple of inches (seriously!). How many short men would pay a lot of money to solve this problem? How can it be cheaper, less painful, and more efficient? I didn't come up with any ideas, but it definitely gave me food for thought.
Brainstorming Session # 6: Switch teams from consumer to producer. Be a producer. Solve other people’s problems. Meet needs.
Sell value, sell a $100 bill for $50. In other words, make something so ridiculously alluring that people would feel stupid if they didn't buy it.
Keep this in mind: “Money is a reflector of how many lives I’ve touched. Money reflects the value I’ve created...the more I help, the richer I become.”
Fastlane means you build a better system, a better contraption, a better product than anything that's out there.
Who has benefited from your work, your assets? How many problems have you solved?
In a gold rush, sell shovels.
Be an innovator, a visionary, a creator. Give birth to a business and offer the world VALUE.
Build a business, a brand, cash flow, have licenses, intellectual properties, inventions, patents, and real estate.
Change creates millionaires. Observe and take advantage of these. What has changed in the marketplace in the past year or two? How can you benefit from that change?
Brainstorming Session #7: FINISH THAT SENTENCE
I hate..
This sucks...
I wish there was…
It would be great if there was….
I wish there was a product that…
Brainstorming Session #8: In a world that is selfish, be selfless.
Live in the future, build what’s interesting.
Problem, Solution, Convert.
Can you get 1,000 true fans for your product/ service?
Question the norms.
Scratch your own itch.
Copy and improve
It doesn’t matter if there’s already competition out there. Do it. And EXECUTE BETTER
Don’t do what you love...do what the market wants done. What does the market care about? Solutions! Value! Convenience! Satisfaction! Mindless entertainment! Feeling good! Looking good! Making money! Avoiding problems!
Think about it! WHY do you spend money on ANYTHING AT ALL? Because the owner is passionate about it? Because you want to be nice and help a random person make a living? NO! You only buy something because you perceive a value in that product or service.
Try this out. Go through every single thing you've bought in the past week or two. And ask yourself, WHY did I buy that? This might help enlighten you.
Create a System: rental system, computer/software system, content system, distribution system, and/or human resources system.
....All done!
If you read this far and actually went through the exercises, did you find anything interesting and actionable? Did I help you in any way? Let me know!
Funnily enough, in one of my brainstorming sessions I put "aspiring entrepreneurs....need an actionable idea." Which is what got me motivated to write this post. Of course I am not monetarily benefiting from putting this together, but I do believe I am adding value to a common problem I have noticed on the forum from newbies like me. This is a perfect opportunity (!) for me to put my entrepreneurial muscles to work and HELP SOMEONE out there in the world, in some way.
Why are you reading this post? Because I'm a good person, you like me, and want me to feel good? OR BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SOLVE A PROBLEM OF YOURS? Exactly!
I now walk around town, the gym, the grocery store, etc, and I look at people. I mean, really, really, really look at them. I imagine what their life is like. And I wonder HOW ON EARTH I can make this person's life easier, or better in some way? I 100% recommend you to try this, it is absolutely life-changing in terms of changing mindsets from consumer to producer.
-Visiomari
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