This is how to find a real problem to solve
I am trying out this approach, this was recommended by many different people, so I am just regurgitating, but let me know what you guys think or any suggestions.
-
Pick 1-2 industries to focus on. This should be based on your potential empathy for the end user (ie. passion/interest) and the fit (first-time founders would find it hard to go after large companies or highly regulated).
-
Find a decision-maker or an expert. Hit them up on LinkedIn or Twitter etc.
-
Have a conversation with them. Don't try to hustle too hard to identify opportunities. Just dive into their workflow, and become very knowledgeable about their industry and role.
-
Maintain the conversation and start identifying problems the expert is having.
The best scenario is where you have identified a problem and a potential solution and the expert is willing to commit to it (I'd be super cautious of experts who already have an idea they want to push onto you, just because they have a lot of biases).
This process is long, tedious, and can at times make you doubtful however the key advantage is that you would work on a real problem, build your network and enter a realm without harmful assumptions.
The feeling you should get is utter uncertainty, my team asked many times "but what would we build here" and that's the point. You shouldn't know because (unless you are entrenched in the industry) you are cleared of assumptions and would be a lot more critical.
Please share any thoughts, experiences, critiques, tools etc.
I mean, the best way to find a problem traditionally has been to solve something in your own industry. Much easier to identify actual problems and solutions when you know the business.
This is true but my team is still at uni, so we don't have enough expertise in something that's not a tarpit space. So your advice is best applied to someone who works in a b2b space.
Jason Cohen has a great write up for his process he used when developing WP Engine https://longform.asmartbear.com/docs/customer-development/
Very cool! Did you do this? What industry did you target?
We did this in a podcasting/content creator, playing around with AI and so I can see the advantages of being able to presale a product and having a clear distribution strategy. However, we are still tinkering around and experimenting, and are talking to people in hospitality, hotels, finance, etc.
This sounds right Michael. You can find many experts on different platforms and do a quick brainstorming session with them.
Good stuff! Ad point 2. you can also use Reddit.
Setting Reddit keyword alerts around the problem space, watching what people discuss, and jumping into convos to learn more or validate your hypothesis is a great way to get data.
It's also great to get some early users in.
That looks cool, I'll check it out!
The way I identify my problem space is by plotting a simple Venn diagram:
bulge 1: myself-centered, personal _filter: interest, dreams, ambitions, passions, whatever inspires me, moves me, what I care, what makes sense to me, has meaning; this one is rather easy if you have a solid self-awareness and interests, still can be hard when you have to set priorities between conflicting agencies...
bulge 2: biz _filter: here you need a solid insight into your industry/marketplace, how it all works as a system; white spaces, problems...; how money flows; numbers, and cold facts mostly.
bulge 3: can you do it _filter: do you have skills, contacts, stamina, and will to start, carry through and deliver; do you have any mission, special motivation, competitive advantage, unique knowledge, or another leg up; essentially why choose this vs another;
you size yourself up against the image of your project;
this one is art, hard as f**k
Experts, mentors, and people 1-3 years ahead of you can be super valuable for b2, and loosely for shaping your b1 and b3.
I think it is a good idea, to approach and talk, but being crystal clear on the stuff you can do on your own will bleed through and make a good first impression. The worst would be to ask "What biz shall I start?"
sound good, now go and do it
I know of plenty from a the context of -- Small to Medium Business and the mandatory shift to Circular Economy.
So now I am going to try to teach myself as it is very much needed, now, not just in my region but all over NZ, and world-wide. I regard it as a simple project as I am really just glueing 3 pieces of existing technology together.
The real problem could be a health problem. As a result of a health problem, this is an unwillingness to work, take care of yourself, play sports. For example, my friend recently had covid. And when she was ill, she did not want to do anything, and after the illness she had an apathy for everything. It took her a long time to recover from her illness. She went to the lab https://getresulttoday.com/locations/orlando/ a couple of times. A psychologist helped her get out of the crisis of the disease.
You guys are finding problems to solve?
I have my own recently someone tried to hack my website I am still at risk.
https://www.killercandycollection.com
gotta constantly keep my eye on its security
What kind of hacks?
🙌
Finding ideas = finding solvable problems.
I really like the exactly how to start guides more than a vision.
Did you find an idea and are you already working on a SaaS ?
https://friendsofsaas.substack.com/p/where-to-find-ideas
We are deep in the process, and we are finding opportunities, but I don't expect anything tangible that we can build in the next 3 months of discussions/interviews.