Please help...Idea Man Needs An Idea

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shemwelljr

posts: 5

Jul 11, 2008 2:26 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I`m a newbie here, but I`ve been lurking for quite a while now. I currently own and operate two businesses, one a residential cleaning service and one a mobile auto detailing business. My wife and I work in these together. Here is my problem:

Though our current businesses are good for personal income, I want to start other businesses all the time. I`m bored in my own businesses. I made a mistake in bypassing college when I had a chance to go anywhere I wanted on academic scholarships, and I feel somewhat unfulfilled scrubbing toilets and cleaning up the disasters that people create in their personal vehicles. I`m also very much an "idea man". I`ve got a million of them, many that I`ve played with to some extent or another, but I have ADD and have a hard time staying focused. So, other than the constants, I have a tendency to bounce around and work on a myriad of ideas that I just can`t find time to turn into something. I have ideas for new businesses, for improvements on existing businesses, for ways to market businesses, etc. The problem is that ideas are worth nothing unless put into practice, and I cannot earn a living and spend all of my free time developing businesses that will take up more of my time.

So, help an "idea man" come up with an idea of how to make a business out of my ideas without actually starting the businesses up by myself. I have an idea for everything and everyone else, but I can`t come up with one for myself, lol. There has to be a way to earn income off of my ideas. Right now I have many that just sit and aren`t doing anyone any good. I have worked in a lot of different industries over the years, and I know of niches that exist that can make people money in various service businesses. I just need some way to implement them into a workable business for myself that is more fulfilling than what I currently have.

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

-------------------------

Michael Shemwell
www.mymobilecarcare.com
www.evercleancleaningservices.com

bizsaver

posts: 11

Jul 11, 2008 3:04 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi, Michael,

I`m the Answer Guy, and I`ve been mentoring entrepreneurs just like you for over 40 years. Every entrepreneur I know has hundreds of ideas...That`s what we do! The ones that are successfull, stay focussed on what`s making them money now, and growing at a reasonable rate each year. It sounds like you are making a nice living, and there are a lot of people out there in the real world wishing they had your problems.

That being said, ideas by themselves are not worth much. If you really want to experiment, hire managers to run your current businesses and start your next best business concept. If it works, put one of your current busnesses up for sale with a business broker and with the money you receive hire a manager for your newest business and move to your next great idea.

Hope this helps...

The Answer Guy

www.answerguy.info

CraigL

posts: 9051

Jul 11, 2008 4:08 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Gary`s right---ideas aren`t worth anything, in and of themselves. Certain types of people generate ideas by the hundreds, some of which are brilliant, many of which are just noise kicked out by an overactive mind.

The "idea" isn`t anything much, on its own. It`s the implemenation of the idea that matters. Think of that really great bit of humor about stereotypical southern guys who end up dead or maimed for life. The problem usually starts with the sentence, "Hey! Watch this!" :-D

Underneath that is the first premise: "Hey! I`ve got a Great idea!" LOL!

You`re basically saying the same thing yourself, just not as clearly. But there`s something else you`re saying that I suspect may run deeper and resonate to your personal style of living. You`ve mentioned that you chose to not go to college when you had an opportunity, and now you`re stuck cleaning toilets.

You also seem to imply that the reason you didn`t go to college was because you have lots of ideas for a better way to make money. You`ve said a couple of times that you want a business---a way to make money---but that you`re bored with the actual work itself. You`ve then said you`d like to start one or more businesses, but you don`t want to actually start the businesses.

All this leads me to suspect (I don`t know you at all, remember) that the problem here is that you want to create a job for yourself that`s satisfying and emotionally rewarding, but that you don`t want to work in a job. :-) That`s going to be a bit of a contradiction, wouldn`t you agree?

The "Life Plan" you read about, highlighted by the Sloan brotheres, carries with it a subtle but fundamental premise that a business isn`t a job---it`s a life concept.

Too many people have grown up with modern images and media stories telling us that "business" is the same thing as "making money." That`s not really true. What do you think is the meaning of the concept "business?"

shemwelljr

posts: 5

Jul 11, 2008 5:02 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Oh, I realize that ideas by themselves are worthless. I would love to find a way to put them to use by working with others if possible. I know there are people out there wanting to start their own business but that don`t have a lot of ideas. I have ideas, but can`t run more and more businesses as I`m only one person.

The reason that I didn`t go to college was the I grew up fairly poor and was working at a company directing the marketing and was making better money than my dad ever did. The next step up in the company, which was a realistic opportunity, was a 100k plus position. Try telling an 18 year old kid that they need to go to college when they are staring down the barrel of such a salary. I had thoughts of going to an engineering school locally but bypassed it because I was making good money (for a kid) and didn`t see the need for it. Ah, to be 18 and short-sighted again, lol.

I`m not ashamed of "cleaning toilets" and I actually enjoy the work I do more than most people probably would. Frankly, detailing vehicles gives me more satisfaction, but I digress. Anyway, though I reasonably enjoy what I do and am quite good at it, I`m almost 31 now and I don`t want to be doing this when I`m 61. I`ve always been one that wants to own and run a company, not own and run my own job. I would like to use my intellect for something more than what I do now. It isn`t fulfilling mentally.

As an ADDer, I search and long for mental stimulation. I just can`t get that cleaning a house or detailing a vehicle. It is especially mind numbing when cleaning the same place over and over. So, I`m looking for a way to do something else, even just part-time, with the ideas that I have that will hit that itch that I just can`t scratch doing what I`m currently doing. I`ve had many businesses on the side, but I can`t devote what they need and continue doing what I`m doing to make ends meet for myself.

I have no problem with physical labor, I would just like to be able to use my mind for something more than keeping my skull from collapsing. Maybe I presented this wrong. I was hoping that someone else like me found a niche somewhere where they could take those ideas to people and do something with them without having to be involved in every decision and every act. I`m having a difficult time asking the right question because to tell the truth, I`m not sure what I`m looking for because I don`t know what others might have found to fulfill that need to be intellectually stimulated while doing something with the ideas that are in their head.

Craig, to answer the question that you raised about what I think the meaning of the concept "business" is, I`ll do my best. First, that is a very abstract question. Business involves so much more than, like you say, making money. Business involves finding a way to provide something that fills a need or desire that others have. It involves developing concepts, working with others toward a common goal, conducting onesself in a professional manner, etc. Handling one`s business involves what they do for a "living", something that becomes a part of them to some extent. To me, operating a business implies more than simply handling mundane tasks, though that isn`t absent from the equation, but it involves planning a course for the business and implementing things to reach goals. I hope that is what you were going for. I`m not always the best with abstract questions, as I could have misinterpreted what you were going for there.

Thanks for the advice so far. I`m sorry if I gave off the wrong impression. I do enjoy what I do now, but only on certain levels. The intellectual side of me is bored and I have all of these ideas sitting here with nothing to do with them. It just seems to be a waste. (Oh, and I realize they aren`t all million dollar ideas, in fact, none may be even close to that. However, they could benefit someone out there, and I would like to find a way to find those looking for such ideas, I just don`t know how.)

-------------------------

Michael Shemwell
www.mymobilecarcare.com
www.evercleancleaningservices.com

CraigL

posts: 9051

Jul 12, 2008 1:37 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Alright, here`s another analogy---the captain of a ship, and the navigator. One would think that the navigator is the person in charge of setting the course for the boat, making sure it gets to its destination. Is that true?

It`s the captain who sets the course, and tells the navigator to plot that course. The captain has a strategic view of everything, including the course for the ship to take in order to accomplish the overall mission. It`d be foolish if they have an entire compliment of passengers intent on getting to New York, if the ship were to dock in South Africa, right?

It sounds to me as if you`ve inadvertently created an artificial split between strategy and tactics. The captain is the strategy guy, the navigator is in charge of the tactics---the "git `er done" part of the equation.

You started a business as the captain, working out a market, developing the business, and handling the many parts of a large project. Then you started doing the work, being the tactician, and now you`re missing the strategy part.

Why not get some biographies of successful and famous business owners, men and women, from the library? I can think of various ways you could re-enter the strategic side of, say, the car-detailing business, and turn it into a very big enterprise. Along the way, you`d switch from being a "production line" detailer, to being a manager. Then you`d move to the executive level, then into the Board of Directors.

If you want a mental challenge, take a look at what goes into taking a company public, then contemplate how you could create a publicly held corporation on Wall Street that involves car detailing. :-)

I do understand your problem, but I dislike the pattern answer of "ADD." There will always be the metaphorical forest, and the metaphorical trees. You can spend all your time seeing one or the other, but life involves seeing both. You have to see both the forest and the trees, and right now you`re maybe just a bit too caught up in seeing only the trees.

Carrying the analogy farther, there`s also the plot of land containing and surrounding both the forest and the trees. There also are the trails moving through the forest, between the trees. Then there`s the enviromental ecosystem of the overall forest itself. :-) Lots of things to get into, when you let your imagination start to move.

Loren

posts: 242

Jul 12, 2008 2:14 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

Points: 0 Vote

Micheal,

I suggest you come up with a systematic way to vet and develop

your ideas.

Most of your ideas probably have awkward marketing problems

or maybe even you are contemplating manufaturing stuff, which

is complex to say the least - and THEN you still have to solve the

marketing problems.

Look for the ideas for which:

1. There is an easy-to-locate market.

2. You can market-test cheaply to see if the people want your

solution and will pay the price you need to get.

3. Aren`t flights of your imagination or personal fixations but solve

problems faced by a big group of (easily reached) people who

have money.

4. Finding buyers is the only thing that matters.

In a nutshell - find the people with the money, invent solutions to

their problems and sell it to them.

It`s easy for creative people to create things that interest Boheminan,

creative, interesting, and BROKE! people. Don`t make stuff for

people who don`t have money! I know this from experience -

I built unusual things and art by hand for many years and while the

masses will oooh! and ahhh!, they don`t have the money to buy or

they will not buy because the money they spend on your product is

money taken away from other areas in their lives.

If you can assemble ideas and create a "shell" of a unique business

you may be able to sell that to individuals and companies. I would

suggest you read Ben Suarez`s book - Seven Steps To Freedom II

- despite Ben`s weird politics he certainly knows how to test and

market products to the masses.

My Million Dollar Marketing Course could be of help to you as well.

I have a soft-spot for laborors who want to change the way they make

money because I built custom cabinetry and musical instruments for

a long time and I know the dark side of working with your body for

a living. Give me a call if you like. 310-359-8494

justryingtohelp

posts: 22

Jul 18, 2008 7:18 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Just a suggestion but why don`t you take what you currently do and break it down to sell as an ebook, or membership course type program to others? It would provide you with mental stimulation and start with what you already know but grow into new areas.

bizsaver

posts: 11

Jul 19, 2008 2:25 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I`ve been following the very good comments to your initial question and your replies. I really don`t believe you are listening to what is being said. It`s beginning to sound like your just plain bored! My suggestion is to either start going to your local business mixers to find like minded people or go to a state college and take some business night courses. Both suggestions will help stimulate your mind and give you an outlet to express your ideas.

www.answerguy.info

IdeasandInnovations

posts: 409

Jul 20, 2008 1:49 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Michael,

Boy, do I know where you are coming from and unless I`m way off, I`m not so sure how close everybody is to understanding what you are trying to ask for. Let me see how close I am....

Ideas basically just jump out at you. I don`t think that you would like to own every business in which you have an idea for I believe you would simply like to have a market for them. Pretty simple and straight forward. Although you don`t mind physical labor, you would love to be able to focus your efforts on the creation and development of new ideas because it is so mentally stimulating.

I personally have been recording even the smallest of my ideas for years now. I started off with product ideas and improvements then graduated to business and process ideas, marketing programs, incentives and the like.

One day I thought to myself, "If your such a good problem solver, then solve your own problem". The problem of not having a market for my ideas. Michael, who do you think would be the easiest person for you to to sell your ideas to? YOURSELF..... So I thought to myself, why not create a network of businesses that would purchase these ideas, instead of trying to sell them as they came to mind.

Fast forward.... after solving many of the problems that businesses encounter from the financing and marketing aspects of a business, I believe I have created a business plan that will do just that, Develop a network of businesses that will be in business for the purpose of purchasing ideas. My ideas, Your ideas and the ideas of the thousands of others who have the same problem. The problem of having more ideas than businesses to implement them.

Mike

WebBizIdeas

posts: 125

Jul 23, 2008 6:42 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi Guys,

Check out this market research on the word "Ideas"

What you guys are talking about "selling ideas" the market shows there is a large consumer demand for. I just read through all your posts and I have to say I was extremely impressed by all your responses; especially CraigL...great examples.

I have been trying to figure our a way to monetize ideas, specifically internet business ideas, since 2001 when I started WebBizIdeas.com. The only way that our company has found is freely share our ideas...earn money off our web development & internet marketing services.

We started posting our ideas here: http://ideas.webbizideas.com/

I have been trying to get together other people who are "ALL IDEAS" for years. Not just to work with me on webbizideas stuff but just to get together with like minded individuals.

Anyone interested? Do you all want to get together on a conference call and discuss ways to monetize an "idea?"

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