Ways to Inspire You to Build A Business

Ever felt the entrepreneurial call tugging at your consciousness?

Maybe you have. You’re just waiting for the right timing, you say.

But let me tell you from the outset that there’s no better time than now. You either start or not. Seth Godin often says that if you start now, you’ll have a business or at least a wealth of information to work on when you look back 5 years later. But if you don’t, you have nothing. Zero, nada, zilch.

And even if the economy is facing a downturn, the pros of building a business still outweigh the cons. If your business is the only one supplying the demand, you’ll also be raking in all of the profits. 

I’m not saying that you should found a startup willy-nilly. But don’t let overthinking or fear stop you from planning and dreaming. Perhaps these business ideas will inspire you to dare:

Listen to Your Needs

Sometimes, you have to take a cue from your personal needs. Take this story about two young men from Irvine, California, who were frustrated about the lack of lunch options in the area. There weren’t many fast food restaurants near their workplace. And surrounding food courts invited long lines while the adjacent parking lots were too small.

This sparked a question on their minds: what if there was a way to deliver good food to them instead? Having an idea is one thing. But the money is in the execution. So they started a restaurant delivery business. Since then, they have served over 15 million people. It turns out their problem is universal among workers whose break gets cut in half because of those lunch runs.

Monetize Your Skills

People in the arts might cringe at that statement. There are artists who don’t create for the “mainstream” audience. Or literary writers who don’t want to sell out to big businesses. But this is not about being a capitalist pawn. It also goes beyond knowing how to use a camera, edit videos, and upload them on YouTube. 

I’m referring to a wide range of technical and artistic skills. Are you good at landscaping? Photography? Interior design? Home cleaning? All of these require a specific skill set. And if you’re good at any of these, you can build a sustainable business out of those mad skills.

Find Your Cash Cow

If you’ve thought of selling goods to augment your income, why don’t you go for it? Burt’s Bees began with the two founders making candles from beeswax for extra cash. Then, they thought of creating other products like soaps, perfumes, and lip balms. The lip balm was a hit.

Once it was clear to them which products were selling big, they created more of those. Your business doesn’t have to be as huge as Burt’s Bees to apply this method. But if you have a bestseller or two, focus on them and never compromise their quality.

Get Into E-commerce as a Side Job

Do you have a penchant for collecting stuff? Maybe you have a sizeable collection of toy cars or vinyl records. What if you build an e-commerce site out of your hobby? Not only will you be able to practice it; you will also be making money.

Some people start selling the objects they buy from abroad. I know someone who loves golf but orders clubs overseas. Before, he would ask who among his buddies would want to tag along and then buy the items in bulk. Soon, he created a website, marketed his service to other golf enthusiasts, and built a stable sideline from there.

Start a Home Business

The digital landscape provides many opportunities for people of all ages. This means you can test out a business before diving into it full-time. You can rent out a room on Airbnb or Homestay, manage social media accounts of brands and individuals, or become a virtual assistant to a startup entrepreneur.

These are all legitimate jobs which you can do on weekends or evenings. You don’t even have to quit your day job just yet. But while you’re exploring your options, you can draft a business plan and brush up on your skills. Once you’ve gathered enough experience, decide whether it’s time to become your own boss and do what you’re passionate about.

Build A Conscious Company

Going green is not just a trend but a necessity. So if you can create products around environmental efforts, you’re also serving the greater good. Organic products tend to command a higher price, though, so it’s a plus if you can make yours affordable.

Further, you have to brainstorm your unique selling proposition with business partners (could be your family or friends). This diaper delivery service is a great example. The cloth diapers it sells minimize your baby’s environmental footprint. At the same time, it also solves the soiled nappy problem for most parents by providing a weekly dirty diaper cleaning service. That’s hitting two birds with one stone.

Don’t Be Afraid

At the end of the day, you’ll have something to work on if you get to building a business. Whether it’s mistakes or sales you accumulate, you can use what you have to continue aiming for your goals. The examples I mentioned exist because their founders dared to try. So don’t be afraid to respond to the entrepreneurial call and dare to try.