How to Find a Business Idea Worth Pursuing

Waiting for a brilliant idea to strike is a bad strategy. The best businesses start from a problem worth solving, not a clever product. Here is how to find one.

Start with problems, not products

Ideas that begin "wouldn't it be cool if..." usually solve no real pain. Ideas that begin "this is so annoying..." or "I keep paying for..." point at money. Hunt for friction, not features.

Where to look

• Your own work. What is tedious, manual, or expensive in your job or industry? You have unfair insight here.
• Things people already pay to fix. Existing spending proves a budget exists; you just need to do it better, cheaper, or for a sharper niche.
• Repeated complaints. Listen for the same gripe coming up again and again in a community, forum, or group.
• Workarounds. When people duct-tape spreadsheets and manual steps together, there is an unmet need.

What makes a problem worthy

A strong problem is:

• Painful: it genuinely frustrates people.
• Frequent: it recurs, creating ongoing demand.
• Expensive: it costs real money, time, or stress.
• Reachable: you can actually find and reach the people who have it.

Narrow it down

A specific problem for a specific group beats a vague solution for "everyone." "Bookkeeping for solo therapists" will out-earn "accounting software" for a beginner, because you can find those people and speak their language.

Then pressure-test it