By: Shannon Jamieson
If I hear the phrase "in this down economy" one more time, I swear to God I'm going to throw an old-school temper tantrum. Yes, it's happening and yes, we have to deal with it. Many people are turning to entrepreneurship to make ends meet, and seeing opportunities where they otherwise wouldn't have. Take this student, for example, who was helping his folks around the house while job hunting. His time at home lead to a new business - cleaning out dryer ducts, of all things! However, Chris King's business idea is the perfect example of true grass-roots entrepreneurship - find a need in the market that isn't being met and meet it. No one was thinking to clean out their ducts, but doing so saves both time and money for homeowners by shortening dryer time (and thus saving electricity cost and energy depletion).
Simple concept, right? Maybe, but if it were, we would all own our own businesses. Ideas for great businesses, and viable models, can sometimes be difficult to spot; especially if you're exploring the concept of entrepreneurship for the first time. However, as King demonstrates, it's not impossible. If you're contemplating starting your own business, here are a few simple tips to keep in mind:
1) Be Observant during every day activities. The most successful businesses are built around making basic tasks or every day life easier. You needn't reinvent the wheel to be successful in entrepreneurship; you simply need to tweak it. Look around yourself during otherwise mundane activities and locations - the grocery store, post office, or even the subway during your morning commute. What are people struggling with or complaining about? Perhaps they have a need you can fill.
2) What grinds your gears? Entrepreneurship doesn't always have to be based in altruism, so be selfish for once. What ticks you off during the day? Your squeaky bathroom door? The kitty litter on the floor near the litter box? The constantly cluttered coffee table?(Both personal pet peeves of mine in my own life.) How can you address this situation in way that would resonate with other people? I'm not saying that these particular ideas haven't been addressed in the market - maybe they have. (However, I still haven't found a suitable solution for containing kitty litter in small spaces..) But I'll bet if you look hard enough at the things that grind your gears, you'll think of a creative way to solve that issue.
3) Lend a Hand. Now more than ever, Americans are BUSY. Forget this down economy crap - we have places to go and people to see. Each task we have to engage in as part of the journey just slows us down! This is the American mentality. As an entrepreneur, what can you do to alleviate this? Go old school. Walk a neighbor's dog. Mow a lawn. Cook some meals for someone elderly that lives alone. There's a reason these ideas are still around - people require these services! Not everyone, but in your neighborhood there may be enough of a need (here's where the nitty-gritty research piece comes in) to sustain a small business.
Are these tips revolutionary? Probably not. But they are tried and true, and I'm putting them out there to get your mental gears turning (or grinding, whatever) and think about how you can get off your butt and pursue entrepreneurship. For entrepreneurs, the time is ALWAYS now.
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