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mazz

posts: 7

Jun 24, 2008 11:11 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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After alot of pondering a business idea, I found one that I believe in and am passionate about. However, as I did some research there seems to be another website with the same concept.  It as well looks to be in the beginning stages.  Should I continue with my dream or should I try to find another idea?
 
First post so please be gentle,
 
Warmly,
Mazz
JBSurfs

posts: 30

Jun 24, 2008 4:15 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Well, first don`t give away the idea.  Second, I had this happen as well.  Every great idea I had, I found on the internet as well.  Typically by more than one person.  I`m no seasoned vet by any means, so take my advice lightly.
 
If you are passionate and truly believe in the idea, then I say proceed.  The reason is even if you were the first person with the idea, you would eventually have a competitor regardless of patents and copyrights.  That`s just the way it works.  You could spend the rest of your life trying to be Coke, when you could easily have a great life being Pepsi or even RC Cola. 
 
If you think your idea will work, move forward and try to find the niche within the market, then if you are established and as "safe" as possible, expand into other aspects of the market.
JTR65

posts: 24

Jun 24, 2008 10:18 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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I worked in a patent law firm for a short stint and the one important lesson I learned there was that most patents were "improvements" over another idea.  Having competition is not a bad thing.  It means there is demand for your business idea and your job is to find a way to make customers want to buy from YOU.  How is your business different?  What can you offer that the other guy doesn`t?  Use your passion over your idea to improve what`s already out there. 
CraigL

posts: 9051

Jun 24, 2008 11:26 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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There`s an interesting proposition that`s been around for at least as long as Carl Jung`s view of the universal subconsious. It`s that an idea is like a radio broadcast arriving on the planet as a  sort of "channel."

People don`t necessarily come up with an idea out of nothing; they rather tune into this new "program" that`s beaming around the world. It would explain why most major inventions have had many people developing them, all at about the same time.

One person or team may come up with the first patent, or they may be first to market, but throughout history there have been parallel developments in all kinds of new ideas.

The whole basis of competition is like "natural selection." Whichever is the strongest implementation, which also satisfies the largest sector of the market will succeed.

If you and this other site both are starting up, then by all means you should do it your way and they can do it their way. Let the market decide which of you is offering the best product or service.

It`s almost impossible to be utterly and completely unique, with zero competition whatsoever. No matter what you choose to do, someone else will surely be doing it as well, probably in about the same timeframe. What counts is that you have a passion, where they perhaps only have an interest. We don`t know, you can`t really know, so you go out and "git `er done!" as Larry the Cable Guy would say.

TheLou

posts: 7

Jun 26, 2008 2:39 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Hello Everyone!! I am new here and I am really excited to hear from all of
you. To put it in simple terms: My husband and I are both artists . He with
photography and art,Myself with music. I would like to combine both our
talents so that we can run a business together. Unfortunately the category
that his photography falls in is very competitive so there has to be
something that we could do to make him stand out. He currently works a
day job and does the photography on the side. I feel that with the right
funding we could invest more into his side business and make it more
lucrative. Any suggestions? I am tired of us being the starving artists we
have talent and its time to make money off of it! Cheers!

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

Marylou G. Tovar
tonyharris73

posts: 3

Jun 29, 2008 4:50 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Im not particular with business in arts and music.  But i think you are geared towards the right direction.  By joining forums and maybe you could also join business networking sites like http://www.schmoozii.com where you could meet business professionals who are also starting with same business concept as you have.


tonyharris736/29/2008 4:54 AM


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Business Networkingis vital to the success of a business
Jun 29, 2008 5:03 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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I think schmoozii.com is also a professional networking site like linkedin and xing.com. You can meet a lot of professionals and businesmen at www.schmoozii.com
aaron123

posts: 5

Jun 30, 2008 1:37 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Why not have a try?!You can promote in the competition.
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