greatideasWhen thinking of my next project as an entrepreneur, I knew I wanted it to be something that represents me and my passions. Knowing that I loved music and had experience in finance, I immediately thought of a great way to share some of the information I’d worked so hard to learn. Thus, my first editorial project STACKS Magazine was born. With the help of two friends, who too had a passion for writing, we began this journey into the publishing world.

 

So many people sit around and come up with ideas to start a business. Whether it is in your 20s or 40s, time soon reveals that one revelation that may become the next big thing.  Age doesn’t matter.  When the creative juices start flowing, this is the time to strike and began pulling the pieces together. Ideas can come from any source. They can come while in the strangest of places. The key is to make sure you are ready to start making your dreams become reality. But in case you have an entrepreneurial spirit and is having the hardest time thinking of something unique and impactful, the WSJ recently posted an article that can help you get started.

 

Here are a few ways experts suggested to create a great business idea.

 

Be Present In Life

“Start brainstorming with problems you are personally invested in. Building a business is hard as hell and it takes that kind of relentless dedication that comes from personal passion. The next big question is “How?” Great ideas and innovation comes from executing on your idea in a different way than everybody else is attacking it, if they are attacking it at all. A great way to do this is to look outside your industry to see how others are solving problems. Approaches that they think are routine might be out of the ordinary for you-and inspire great ideas.” – Angela Benton, Founder/CEO, NewME Accelerator

 

Let Your Subconscious Do The Work

“When the mind is occupied with a monotonous task, in can stimulate the subconscious into a eureka moment.  The subconscious mind run in the background, silently affecting the outcome of many thoughts. So, take a break and smell the flowers, because while you’re out doing that, your mind may very well solve the problem that you are trying to solve or spark a solution to a problem you hadn’t considered before.” – Ben Baldwin, Co-Founder and CEO, ClearFit

 

Head Into the Weird Places

“For entrepreneurs to stretch their brains, they should seek out the unusual. Watch and listen to weird stuff. Walk in weird places. Talk to weird people.” – Victor H. Whang, Co-Founder/CEO, T2 Venture Capital

 

Listen to People You Know

“Get customer feedback. Listen to customers and create products and services that give them more of what they like and/or remove what they dislike.  Listen to the front-line employees. Reserve assumptions. For example, the old assumption that a bank needed to have tellers and branch locations. The ATM concept asked: How can we offer banking services without having a branch location and tellers?” – Dave Lavinsky, Co-Founder/President, Growthink, Inc.

 

Be Prepared to Shift Gears

“Entrepreneurs need to understand two things. For one, their first (or second or third) idea is often not the real opportunity. In fact, it might stink. They have to be on the lookout for why it stinks and be willing to shift course.” – Donna Kelley, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship , Babson College

 

 

Many more ways to generate that great business idea is prevalent. It just take time and passion to come up with your next business plan.