Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I just read a VERY recent post from someone who has the same idea that I do!  I have been sitting on this idea for a very long time...almost 8 years...stupid, stupid perfect procrastinator that I am!  Anyway, now someone else is getting tons of great advice on how to go about launching this business and I am so upset because it has taken me forever to come up with all the same stuff on my own and trying to work out all the details before I went to anyone with it.  What now?  I`m so sick - of myself mostly.  Jeez.

Debbie

If I had a long beard, I would clasp my hands wisely over my big belly, cover them with that beard, nod slowly, and pronounce a brand-new, just-made-up word of great wisdom: "He (or in this case She) who hesitates is lost."

Wait!!! I just thought up another one...all on my own... "Strike while the iron is hot!"

I know...I know...brilliant, you`re all saying. Please, hold the applause.

Debbie...it`s a sad fact in life that if you don`t do something about ideas, they have a way of floating off and getting involved with someone else. A lot like lovers, when you think about it.

All you can do is either continue with your *version* of the idea and enter into competition, or move on to something else. What about that art promotion? Kathy and I just went to an art fair, this weekend, and saw a lot of stuff that had us both saying, "Y`know....that looks sort of like what that lady  down in Texas is doing with her husband`s art."

And there it was...only in Illinois. Would you smack yourself in the head and bemoan the fact that someone else had the idea of creating art out of junk? No, of course not. :-)

Hi Junkmom,

Seems to me you have three choices.  You can use the information you found in the SUN community and make your business a success.  Collaborate with the other person to capture the market.  Or, get out of the way and let the parade pass you by.  Whish option best suits you?  I hope it`s the first one.

 

 

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The older we get, the more excuses we make for not chasing after our dreams. But truth is, goals are attainable at any age.

Craig,

You are right, indeed.  I`ve had many ideas that I didn`t do anything about and have watched some of them turn into big business for other folks.  Way back when I was coming up with all these grand notions a few people told me that I was a great "starter of things" and that I should sell my ideas to people who would actually do something about them.  Ouch!  True, but...

And, yes, I really want to continue to promote and sell my husband`s art work and create my own stuff that I`ve been daydreaming about.  So, perhaps one of the reasons (other than I am a procrastinating perfectionist) that I never did anything with the other ideas was because they weren`t my passion.  I was never "supposed" to do anything with them - yeah, that`s my story and I`m sticking with it!

Ok, then, back to work on my website.  And, I just received my neighborhood newsletter with all the upcoming craft shows and Holiday hoo-haw, so I`ll be registering for some of those.  I really MUST get to work!

BTW, my husband is originally from Chicago.

Thanks,

Debbie :o)

nevadascul,

Thanks for the words of encouragement, but I think I might let this one slide.  And I wish this other "genius"...LOL! lots and lots of success in his venture!

Debbie

Debbie, I was gonna join the International Society of Procrastinators, but I keep putting it off. Besides, their Web site doesn`t load for a really long time, and I keep forgetting to come back to my computer to look at whether it`s loaded.

If you want to go New Age ideology, that`s cool...I would suggest that the reason you got a spike of adrenaline, seeing YOUR idea get stealed by someone else, is that "the universe" is showing you that if you don`t start changing your system, it`ll just get worse and worse... :-D

Life and/or higher consciousness has a way of keeping us going in the direction we`re supposed to be going. Y`know?

Debbie,  I too was a lifetime procrastinator until I saw one of my ideas on Oprah 6 months ago.  The women had made 10 MILLION dollars creating something I had actually gone to a patent lawyer about 7 years ago.  That pretty much kicked me in the butt and here I am. 

I did some research and was sick to my stomach when I saw that there were already my product available.  I then had a wise man(Daddy) point out the word competition.  It`s a big world out there and it`s all about marketing...  So I jumped in with both feet and am loving almost every minute of it...If you feel the passion, don`t wait a second longer. (Unless it is my same idea, then go ahead and let it slide.)

Good luck.

Hi Gail,

You`ve got a "way cool" idea!  Do you sell wholesale?  Or maybe a commission thing?  I think the school spirit ones would be a neat addition to my online store......we have 7 high schools in Katy and many other sports related activities....my wheels are turning!

Oh boy do I cringe whenever Oprah does the shows on ideas and women making millions - although, Universe, I am soooooo happy for their successes!  I just pulled out my cut-off pantyhose to show my husband that I could have been the creator of Spanx if I`d had the gumption of the woman who DID create them!  Good for her!

Anywho, as for the passion, I`m gonna keep doing what`s in front of me to do right now and see what happens.  I think hubby and I have a good thing - I just need to do the work - duh!

Debbie

 

Okay, but let`s step back and think for a second, do some numbers. Just in the US there are, what, 350-million people? Let`s just say that 300-million are adults. That`s still only a third of one billion, and there are 6-billion people in the world.

Suppose you sell Widgets, and you`re the first to market with them. Let`s say they`re a commodity item, and sell for $5 each. Even if you took only 1% of the US adult market, that would be 3-million sales units, if they order 1 only. And that would be $15-million.

WAY too much money for us little folks. So suppose you take half a percent (.05) of the market. Now you`re only selling 1.5-million units, and can keep your revenues down to a more gracious $7.5-million.

If you assume the product, being a commodity item, doesn`t last forever. You could even contemplate getting some repeat customers here and there. Right?

:-)