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I thought about something like #8. It's a legitimate concern for sure. I just tend not to naturally come up with ideas that I wouldn't like working on. I don't

I thought about something like #8. It's a legitimate concern for sure. I just tend not to naturally come up with ideas that I wouldn't like working on. I don't feel I can judge very far in advance how much I'll like something 3 years down the line, and most startups are dead or evolved into something else by then anyway.

staunch 15y ago
My primary heuristic for finding startup ideas is coming across problems in my own daily life. As long as the problem exists, and I'm passionate about it, the only thing that will change is the solution. That's exactly why it's so dangerous to be passionate about solutions. There are other ways to come up with ideas, but for me the only thing interesting is solving problems I see with my own eyes. I know there are very good companies built in different ways though.
keeptrying 15y ago
The idea is very different from the work you'll be doing to implement it. So this #8("Expected Long-term Passion") is a REAL requirement. For example: you love adventure sports and want to create a marketplace for adventure sprots. The truth is you WILL NOT be doing any adventure sports during the next 3 years. You'll be doing marketing, getting partners to give discounts, sales etc ... On top of that you might have to pivot to doing something only slightly related. OR for another example: you want to create a nutritional tool that will help people lose weight. You think it will be getting together great nutrtional content and showing it to users is a meaningful way but instead it could involve creating better image recognition of foods. Also as soon as you take money, your locked into the idea and need to see it through or your never going to work in this town again. Investors hate one thing more than anything else - low effort. I've just been through all this so I've finally reazlied that "passion" is VERY VERY VERY necessary. So in addition to all of the above requirements for an idea, it should also satisfy the following : "If I do this and it fails - I'll still be VERY HAPPY that I spent the last 2 years of my life doing this."

staunch 15y ago

My primary heuristic for finding startup ideas is coming across problems in my own daily life. As long as the problem exists, and I'm passionate about it, the only thing that will change is the solution. That's exactly why it's so dangerous to be passionate about solutions. There are other ways to come up with ideas, but for me the only thing interesting is solving problems I see with my own eyes. I know there are very good companies built in different ways though.

keeptrying 15y ago

The idea is very different from the work you'll be doing to implement it. So this #8("Expected Long-term Passion") is a REAL requirement. For example: you love adventure sports and want to create a marketplace for adventure sprots. The truth is you WILL NOT be doing any adventure sports during the next 3 years. You'll be doing marketing, getting partners to give discounts, sales etc ... On top of that you might have to pivot to doing something only slightly related. OR for another example: you want to create a nutritional tool that will help people lose weight. You think it will be getting together great nutrtional content and showing it to users is a meaningful way but instead it could involve creating better image recognition of foods. Also as soon as you take money, your locked into the idea and need to see it through or your never going to work in this town again. Investors hate one thing more than anything else - low effort. I've just been through all this so I've finally reazlied that "passion" is VERY VERY VERY necessary. So in addition to all of the above requirements for an idea, it should also satisfy the following : "If I do this and it fails - I'll still be VERY HAPPY that I spent the last 2 years of my life doing this."