10 proven ways to spark a successful business idea

Ground Picture // Shutterstock Every entrepreneurial journey starts with an idea–the spark that could transform into your dream business. Sometimes it’s the only thing standing between you and the life you want. And while great business ideas can strike unexpectedly, why wait?  While no business idea comes with a success guarantee, if you run your ideas through the right checkpoints, ask the tough questions, and stay open to adapting along the way, you’ll improve your chances of building something with staying power. Shopify shares several proven ways–including real examples from successful entrepreneurs–to inspire your next business idea. 1. Find a Problem to Solve Many successful low-investment business ideas start with a simple problem that needs fixing.  Look at the frustrations in your life or the lives of people around you–they could inspire your next venture. Once you’ve found an interesting area or industry, dig into what’s bugging people about the current products or services. Maybe you’ll improve something that exists, or maybe you’ll create something totally new. Take Range Beauty founder Alicia Scott. She couldn’t find makeup that worked with her reactive skin. “I just couldn’t get with the makeup brands that were not only ignoring my skin tone but my skin conditions too,” she says. Her solution? Creating skin-friendly beauty products compatible with a wide range of skin tones. Remember: People don’t just buy products, they buy solutions to their problems. Having a clear value proposition will help your business idea stand out among competitors. 2. Tap Into Your Interests Some of the best business ideas grow from things you already love doing. Think about your hobbies, sports, crafts, or favorite subjects. When you start a business based on your passion, you’re more likely to stay motivated through all the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. You’re also more likely to authentically connect with your target market and build a strong community around your shared passion. For Michael Washington, his love of the outdoors led him to launch the Usal Project, a Los Angeles-based brand dedicated to fostering community through unique experiences such as stargazing or fly fishing.  “I liked being the producer of bringing people together around a common interest,” he says. 3. Use Your Existing Skills What are you naturally good at? What entrepreneurial traits do you already have? Your current skills could be the perfect foundation for a business. For example, creatives may want to think about businesses that let them work with their hands or use their eye for design. Tech-savvy entrepreneurs can consider how they could help others solve their technical problems. And sociable people might have a service-based business in their future. Michael, for example, applied the skills he’d cultivated during a career spent building communities in the music industry to launch the Usal Project. “I wondered how I could take that community-building expertise to other areas of my life,” he says. 4. Give Existing Products a Fresh Spin Here’s a secret: You don’t need to invent something entirely new. Sometimes the best businesses come from improving everyday products or services. Look at how Skims put its own spin on the already booming shapewear industry and Bombas turned something as simple as socks into a sought-after item. Bartesian founder Ryan Close took the concept of a capsule coffee machine and applied it to cocktails. “I understood it was difficult to make great-tasting cocktails at home if you’re not a bartender,” he says. Instead of starting from scratch, he applied a creative twist to existing technology. 5. Conduct Market Research Once you know roughly what industry you want to start your business in, dig into the market for inspiration. This could include chatting with people who match your target customer, reading industry reports and trade publications, or following relevant influencers to understand what their audiences want.  See what people are saying in forums and groups like Reddit, Quora, or Facebook groups. And use keyword research tools and trend-spotting sites like Google Trends or Exploding Topics to find what people are searching for online. “I started talking to dentists, dental hygienists, and spent a lot of time on YouTube and Reddit figuring out what a tablet really was, and how I could make these things,” says Lindsay McCormick, who founded Bite, a brand specializing in eco-friendly toothpaste tablets. It’s also a good time to check out the competition to learn what they’re doing right and where they’re dropping the ball. By positioning your business to fill the gaps they’re leaving wide open, you’ll carve out your competitive advantage. 6. Look for Underserved Markets Sometimes the best ideas come from spotting who’s being left out. Are you part of a niche community whose needs aren’t being met? That could be your opportunity. That’s exactly what Yelitsa Jean-Charles did when she noticed a huge gap in the toy industry for young Black girls. She turned that observation into Healthy Roots Dolls, a brand helping girls love their curly hair. As Yelitsa puts it, “When you’re ignored by the mainstream media, you have to become a problem solver.” 7. Watch for Emerging Trends Want to spot the next big consumer trends? Keeping your eyes peeled for trending products? Social platforms like Pinterest and TikTok have dedicated trend pages that can spark fresh business ideas. Just remember–by the time everyone’s talking about a trend, it might be on its way out. Try thinking sideways instead. That’s what Miguel Leal did when developing products for his Mexican food brand, Somos. He and his cofounders drew inspiration from the skyrocketing popularity of Asian chili crisp–and realized that salsa macha, a classic Mexican condiment, had a comparable texture that might excite chili crisp fans.  “When we look at the similarities between two products, we see this trend of global cuisine, especially in condiments,” Miguel says. “We think salsa macha is not that different.”   8. Get Innovative While many successful businesses put a fresh spin on existing ideas, there’s plenty of room to create something totally new. If you have an eye for design and spot a problem no one’s solved yet, don’t wait for perfection–develop a product prototype and test it with potential customers. Sometimes the best way to validate an idea is to invite opinions early in your development phase. Customer feedback will help you refine the final product, and you won’t waste money on large-scale manufacturing until you know you’re onto something good.  “I would highly recommend crowdfunding to anybody that’s starting a product,” says David Levy, founder of tabletop grill company Bola Grills. “You’re able to see if people are willing to pay for your idea before you actually spend all this time and money to actually make the idea or make your product.” Conducting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis can also help you evaluate your idea from all angles. This framework helps you think through both internal factors (what you’re good at and what needs work) and external ones (market opportunities and potential risks) that could affect your success. As a bonus, this analysis will come in handy for your business plan too. 9. Fire Up Your Creativity With Brainstorming Sometimes you need to give your brain a little push. Whether you’re working solo or with a group, using a brainstorming technique can help ideas take shape. With classic brainstorming, you let the ideas flow freely–no filters. Call out thoughts and build on each other’s suggestions. Brainwriting is another option. It’s like brainstorming, but quieter. Jot down ideas on Post-its or use online tools like Miro or Mural, then discuss as a group. With storyboarding, you visualize ideas by sketching out different scenarios. And mind mapping starts with a main idea in the center, then each related thought becomes a branch–each branch sparking new connections. To really boost the ideation process, get yourself out of your daily routine, strike up conversations with people outside your network, read or listen to something new, and practice self care to give your mind some extra TLC. 10. Go Straight to the Source Sometimes the best way to figure out what people want is simple: Ask them. Create a short, simple survey for friends, family, or potential customers. Ask about their biggest challenges or what they wish they could improve. Better yet, grab coffee with someone who fits your ideal customer profile. Their answers might surprise you and spark ideas you’d never considered. “I went directly to consumers,” Yelitsa says about using crowdfunding to validate her idea for Healthy Roots Dolls. “I presented the concept to them and let them vote with their money and proved that there was demand.” This story was produced by Shopify and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.