Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Everyone tells me to follow my passion when it comes to starting a business.  I totally agree with this but does anyone have a methodology in determining what services or products are in demand?  I`ve gone to websites and even talked to friends who have their own businesses and they can not even tell me how they did it.

Don`t worry too much about the passion right now. That will come with time.

Right now you need to find a business with long-term potential. Opportunities are everywhere. I like what Norm Brodsky says about choosing a business. Too many people are looking for something no one has ever done before. Very risky. Listen to that show and then let`s keep talking.

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Okay, I listened to the broadcast and yes, I am familiar with Norm Brodsky as I do subscribe to Inc. Magazine.  I enjoyed the broadcast and the two scenarios posed, fear of not knowing how to do what they want to do and not knowing what business to start.

Since last June, when I was laid off from a software company, I`ve been involved with gathering data and marketing information, obtaining office space, setting up an office and equipment and hiring staff for a home health agency for my brother-in-law who lives out of Connecticut.  I do not doubt that I can set up a business, but the comment made about not knowing what business to start...that`s the killer.

I definitely do not want to go into any IT type of business.  My strength is in enjoy working with clients, building and maintaining relationships, etc.  The whole thing again is, what services or products do I want to be involved in.

Really, I`m looking to learn a new industry and home health is not it.

Lord, how I can relate to what you are going through.

The funny thing is that most of the times I spoke with anyone about what to start, the first reply usually was: "Work with something you are passionate about."
And that`s a problem for me, considering I am not really passionate about anything.

Then Steve says that the passions comes later and I have to agree with him. And that`s the path I decided to follow. I have a couple of topics I enjoy and that would give me pleasure learning more about...

Anyway, what I did was to list some of my hobbies and started to think how I could make money with them...something will always pop up...try it. It is really hard for someone to be objective and direct when it comes to your question. Hopefully people will point you in the right direction.

Good luck,

Andre


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Andre Costa DaCosta Chocolates, LLC www.DaCostaChocolates.com

Suppose we start by categorizing two very high-level attributes to a "product."

• Practical application---useful in doing something
• Decorative application---useful to make life prettier

We could put into the "practical" category anything that`s at tool, a time-saver, an effort-reducer, whatever is necessry for life and survival, and anything functional.

Then in the decorative side, put things like jewelry, art, and music. We can also draw a line between "necessary" clothing versus "extra" clothing. Necessary and extra are subdivisions of the two main categories.

Which overall category strikes your fancy? :-)

The part of what Norm Brodsky said in that show that most interested me was the three criteria for which business to get into. What he said was a strong influence in my choice of business. Another person to consider as a good example to model is Warren Buffett. The businesses he acquires many would consider to be boring, but they make money. You may find that your real passion is succeeding at business. It doesn`t really matter what industry you choose.

I too was in IT and I too wanted to do something totally different. I always knew the part of programming I liked the most was the problem solving. We weren`t in this business too long before I discovered there are no shortage of problems to be solved. Turns out, although I`m not a cook, my passion is making food that people with special dietary needs can, and want to, eat.

Do you have even a clue what you might like to do?


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Steve makes a great point. If your passion is making money, then any business you think you can make successful will be your passion. I hadn`t thought of it that way.
:-)

Let me say that I`m appreciative of the feedback I`m getting.  Steve, I like what Craig did to break it down into, practical application and decorative application.  I`ll have to say that I would love to have a business providing the practical services.

I am very geared towards customer service, fast merchandise fulfillment, etc.  If you say draw on my past work experience well, I worked in credit card transaction processing on the merchant side and in IT as a business analyst or QA tester on applications.  I`m worn out and tired of the corporate drudge...have been since I was sucked into it.

Ideally I would like to be a supplier and I believe what would take me beyond others is how anal I am about customer service and how fast can I get my product.  By the way I love UPS tracking.  Most kids ask...are we there yet?  Me on the other hand it`s, is it here yet?

Those two things are so lacking in the customer experience that I believe what I choose to do, that will be the drivers for my success.

Now, what am I passionate about?  I`ve played guitar for 42 years (yes, I started when I was six), I love wood, and I`m a heavy consumer of pre and post WWII history.  Don`t talk to me about selling guitars because I`ll tell anyone to go to Sam Ash and get a deal.

Y`know, although technically oriented people see the installing of a shopping cart and/or merchant account onto a Web site as pretty simple, those of us who aren`t all that technical see it as a major issue.

Could you maybe develop a business where you do 1 thing---take an existing Web site (probably self-developed, with all those problems), and add a shopping cart?

This might seem on the surface to be a little tiny business. But with all the self-builders here, I wonder if it mightn`t be a pretty large market? It meets the criteria of making it easier, saving time, being practical, and being focused. It also is a service-providing business, doing 1 thing but doing it exceptionally well, and involving databases AND credit card transactions.

Maybe?

Ahhhh, I see what your trying to do to me Craig.  Trying to trick me back into some IT profession eh?  Kidding.  Actually it`s interesting, though I`m hoping to stay away from IT as a business.  In fact, I tried to get hired on to a company here in Columbus, OH that does just that.  There services were that they housed all the servers and the databases resided on site.  Basically the merchant just signs up.

I`m probably going to have to learn a new industry.  What I am currently investigating is where there are markets in need of suppliers.  Yes, I do keep in mind that the more the merrier.

I got off the phone with my brother and he has just been put into a position of materials manager and has to work with suppliers and purchasing agents.  I`m going to sit down with him and get information on the process.