We’ve all done dumb things or had dumb ideas.
I should know, because I’ve done plenty of dumb things in my day.
Like the time I “forgot” to check the luggage, and only relaxing at the gate – excited for the warm beaches of Mexico – did I realize I’d left the bags in the middle of the airport. Security wasn’t pleased.
Or the time times I locked myself out of the house.
Or when I left my new iPhone at the library, and only remembered it about 20 minutes later, on the way to a doctor’s appointment. . .
So you’ll forgive me when I talk about dumb things you might do, because you’ll realize I’m not poking fun. I’m sharing with you in camaraderie.
If you have an idea, especially a business idea, you’ll want to make sure it’s a good one before you dump your job and dedicate everything to it.
So here’s how you can make sure your idea isn’t dumb.
Dumb Business Idea?
Get Honest: Think your idea through. You might get really excited about your idea – so excited that you want to gloss over potential holes in it. Get really honest with yourself and expose the holes. Don’t fall into the trap of deluding yourself because part of your idea is brilliant.
Find The Haters: If you’ve done your best to find the weaknesses of your idea, find someone who is willing to poke holes in your idea for you.
Find out who is doing it: If no one is already doing it, you’ve either hit upon something so amazing and unique that you’re bound to be a millionaire, or you’re doomed to failure. If you can’t find anyone out there already doing what you want to do, there may not be a market for it, or it may not be profitable.
Ask your friends: The trick here is to find friends who are honest enough to tell you the truth, and not just what you want to hear. If you’re about to fall over a waterfall in a wooden barrel, a good friend is going to tell you about it, before it’s too late.
Test the waters: There’s nothing like a little real-life testing to see if your idea will float. Try it out on a small scale to see if it will work. Get a part-time job, volunteer, or start your business on the side. You’ll want to test out your idea while the stakes are low, not only to be sure it works, but also to see if you like it.
There’s nothing scarier than leaving your job to start a new business only to find that the business isn’t viable.
But it’s extremely liberating to think you can live and work on your own terms, doing something you love and making the money you need while doing it.
And you can.
You just have to find an idea good enough (and that you love enough) to support you.
I’d love to hear from you. What are your concerns about a business idea you’ve been thinking about? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.