Every successful business starts with an idea.  If you haven’t been immediately struck with inspiration, then coming up with a concept for your small business can be difficult and frustrating.  However, there are some tried and tested methods you could use to come up with an idea that suits you.

Firstly, you could try doing some research into current start-up trends.  The UK government publishes statistics on start-up types as part of their Small Business Service.  Mintel also conducts market research on the growth of different sectors.  It is generally advisable to enter a market sector that is either already well-established or is growing rapidly.  Although these sectors will be crowded, at least there is a guaranteed market there for you to fight for a share.

Some entrepreneurs find it easier to look for gaps in a market and attempt to fill them.  For example, if you learn about products that are doing well in other countries then you may be able to adapt them for sale here if no-one else is doing it.  Other variables such as the location of your business and its opening hours could result in a business opportunity.  If you can find a gap in the market that there is a genuine demand for, you could be on to a winner.

Other entrepreneurs have found business success simply by taking old ideas and breathing new life into them.  Try to work out why a previously popular idea has been on the decline and then come up with a way of making it popular again.  A small business can be very successful just by taking an existing idea and doing it better or differently to everyone else.

The Internet is a great way of modernising an existing concept.  Many successful web enterprises are based on very basic ideas that have simply been adjusted to make the most of technology.  The Internet can add extra value to many business ideas, either because of the 24/7 convenience it provides or by how it simplifies things that were previously time-consuming.

If you are determined to invent something unique, look for problems that require a solution.  New inventions can be a legal minefield involving copyrights and patents, but some of the best business ideas are often things that are so simple it is hard to believe no-one else thought of it first.

For more inspiration, follow me on Twitter or become a fan of WinWeb on Facebook.  I look forward to connecting with you!

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If you are sat at home this weekend contemplating starting your own small / micro home business or becoming a self-employed freelancer / sole trader then here are ten quick-fire business ideas to use as a starting point. 

• A picture book series for adults explaining technology topics.
• Luggage with in-built RFID chips.
• A recipe subscription service / website.
• Remote tech support service solving PC or Mac problems.
• An IMDB-type site for people who have won awards in their profession.

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If you are sat at home this weekend contemplating starting your own small / micro home business or becoming a self-employed freelancer / sole trader then here are ten quick-fire business ideas to use as a starting point. 

• Ad-supported batches of RSS feeds delivering content relevant to your tastes.
• Philanthropic tourism – you pay a premium for a holiday, with part of it going to help local people.
• A private curbside recycling service for areas which do not recycle.
• A drive-thru selling health food and nutritious sandwiches.
• A laundromat / video game arcade so people spend money on the games as they wait.
• Become a change consultant, helping companies that need to evolve or die
• A company which analyses case studies from real companies and sells the information collated as a subscription.
• Delivering food from local restaurants that don’t offer a delivery service.
• Write a book on the etiquette of various social media.
• Create your own ice cream flavours and sell them locally.

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If you are sat at home this weekend contemplating starting your own small / micro home business or becoming a self-employed freelancer / sole trader then here are ten quick-fire business ideas to use as a starting point. 

• A grocery checkout efficiency consulting service.
• A traveling poker school offering intensive weekend tuition.
• Assist businessmen who have trouble writing speeches or organising presentations.
• A baby fitness class for parents and kids.
• Restaurant where customers cook alongside the chef to aid learning – then eat their own meal.
• Become a virtual assistant and offer your skill-set to others for hire.
• Using Google Earth to work out green improvements to a given area.
• A non-profit organisation that takes old donated tech items and makes them suitable for use by other non-profits.
• Rummaging through other people’s houses to find saleable items which can be placed on eBay (you will take a percentage).
• A service which reclaims gold from old electronics.

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If you are sat at home this weekend contemplating starting your own small / micro home business or becoming a self-employed freelancer / sole trader then here are ten quick-fire business ideas to use as a starting point. 

• A website for generating name and branding ideas.
• A service allowing volunteers to list their availability for charity projects in their area.
• Private investigation for restaurants – find out whether your employees are following Health & Safety procedure.
• A service which will transfer vinyl / CD to MP3 for people who don’t know how.
• Unique bachelor / bachelorette parties tailored to specification.
• Become a singer / songwriter making songs written to order for special events.
• Digital picture blinds – when closed, they display images from a USB stick.
• Highly trained babysitters who are available at the last minute.
• Live tutoring online via webcam or chat.
• A positive news channel / website with a special focus on good news!

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If you are sat at home this weekend contemplating starting your own small / micro home business or becoming a self-employed freelancer / sole trader then here are ten quick-fire business ideas to use as a starting point. 

• A website teaching readers about the day-to-day training requirements for various sports.
• Improvisational comedy confidence-building exercises.
• A company which takes your dead electronic equipment and smashes it until it becomes modern art!
• A premium hotline providing legal advice.
• A café for aspiring filmmakers to congregate and show their work to receive feedback.
• A clothes-sharing website for high-value items such as shoes.
• An impartial advice line for people purchasing consumer electronics.
• A YouTube channel reviewing local restaurants.
• Keep other people’s elderly relatives company for a small fee.
• An art co-op which collectively owns valuable pieces and shares them until they are eventually auctioned.

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I hope these videos will help you to make up your mind to start your own business, it does not cost the earth. If providing additional income for your family is on your agenda, this could be one of your opportunities.

Please share any business ideas you may have with us in the comments. Maybe we will make them into a video.

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If you are sat at home this weekend contemplating starting your own small / micro home business or becoming a self-employed freelancer / sole trader then here are ten quick-fire business ideas to use as a starting point. 

• Monitoring buzz surrounding brands using software tools.
• Become a Feng Shui consultant. 
• Specialise in resolving disputes between roommates.
• Online palm reading using Skype.
• Become a scout specialising in evaluating child sport potential.
• An IMDB-type site for people who have won awards in their profession.
• Digital colouring books for kids.
• A boat / yacht share program.
• A company specialising in girlie weekends for groups of friends.
• A production company that will come to your town and make a few episodes of a reality TV show about your life.

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Find out more @ winweb.com

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I hope these videos will help you to make up your mind to start your own business, it does not cost the earth. If providing additional income for your family is on your agenda, this could be one of your opportunities.

Please share any business ideas you may have with us in the comments. Maybe we will make them into a video.

Share This