brainstorming business ideas

key concepts for business innovators & entrepreneurs

Brainstorming Business Ideas

© Arnold Wytenburg 2

Innovative business ideas arise only

when we apply creativity to a purpose

The challenge is to cross “the creativity gap”


Usually we think of individuals as

creative, but creativity occurs when

people act in concert with the

surrounding environment.

Getting to “there” starts

by defining “here”

… this is often harder than

you think, especially when

teams are involved


“The task is not to see what no one else

has seen, but to think what nobody has

yet thought about that which everyone

already sees.”

The best ‘new’ ideas come from combining old ideas in novel and interesting ways…

Consider: – The first automobile

– The first telephone

– The first computer

– The first spacecraft

– etc, etc


Opportunity knocks at least once every

seven days… are you listening?

Maintaining

status quo…

i.e. Establish uniform

design and

manufacturing

standards

Letting go of

the past…

i.e. Introduce new

designs, drop old

ones

Creating the

future…

i.e. Establish a

completely new

paradigm


The problem with most problems is that

we don’t really know what the problem

is

Typically, the ‘real’ problem has less to do with

the things we think about, and more to do with

the way we do our thinking about those things.

Start by looking around, not ahead… what is

actually happening today is generally far more

useful to know than what we can predict


No business idea can survive its initial

exposure to a potential customer

without needing to be completely

rethought

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes to find out what’s really happening, and what really needs attention:

– The ‘economic’ customer • the person who pays you

– The ‘functional’ customer • the “end user”

– The ‘beneficial’ customer • the person who gains a direct benefit from a purchase

– The ‘decision maker’ • the person who decides to buy

– The ‘decision influencer’ • the person who shapes the decision to buy


Visualize (or sketch, model, simulate,

etc) how a customer or end user

will ‘consume’ your product, service, or

experience

Ask and describe:

– What problems are solved? Created?

– What processes are improved? Needed?

– What new functions are performed? Eliminated?

– What costs are removed? Deferred? Added?

– What special knowledge is no longer needed? Required?

– Etc, etc

The goal is to make your ideas as concrete as possible:

– A word is worth 10–3 pictures

– A picture is worth 10–3 prototypes


Not every spark lights a fire… consider

that “90% of everything is crap, and

most of the rest isn’t very interesting”

Good ideas involve a lot of experimentation

Follow “Silver’s Law”: – Find a major problem

– Identify an elegant solution

– Have the best team for the job


Modest ideas tend to deliver modest

results

Look for ideas that:

1. Combine your skills, knowledge & motivation

2. Push the envelope by doing something different

3. Provide customers with a measurable benefit

To qualify as viable “business ideas” they’ll need to make a “10X difference”


The nature of business is networked,

and can best be thought of as a form

of ‘ecology’

Recognize that doing

business is a complex

affair involving a lot

of collaboration…

use your ‘creative

sweet spot’ to help

you find a niche


A warm-up exercise…

1. Watch “20 Questions for Startup Success”

with Norm Meyrowitz, former President of

Macromedia

2. Visit the Museum of Modern Betas, and briefly

answer Norm’s first 5 questions for at least 2

“beta” business ideas

http://www.researchchannel.org/prog/displayevent.aspx?rID=4973&fID=569

http://momb.socio-kybernetics.net/


Pitching your ideas involves making sure

the most important points are

communicated in the simplest, fastest

way possible

To communicate your idea:

– Identify/quantify a specific problem/opportunity

– Describe how you propose to solve it

– State your unique qualifications for doing so

Chaos, panic, disorder…

my work is done here

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