Startup Ideas and Hustles

Startup ideas can come from just about anywhere—truly. Starting a company will require long hours and seemingly endless focus. Both are much easier when you feel a personal connection to the purpose behind the company. If you don’t have that burning, personal desire to see your concept come to fruition, don’t pursuing your startup idea. That’s because the early days of starting a company are notoriously difficult. You might find yourself questioning whether you’ve made the right call. That’s especially true as the months or years drag on, and you’ve decided to quit a lucrative career, invest personal savings, and sacrifice time away from family to chase your dream. (Many seasoned entrepreneurs, by the way, say it takes at least three years to find your startup footing, and that many newbies give up too soon.)

But beyond that, there’s another reason why it makes sense to let your personal challenge lead the way. Chances are, others are experiencing the same problem as well—even if they’re not entirely aware of it. They’re called your customers.

It’s important to remember that the startup you first set out to build will not resemble the company you are operating five or ten years later. Startups, and businesses in general, evolve and take on lives of their own—in large part due to technological advances or changing customer tastes.

The most successful entrepreneurs always keep a finger on the pulse of the current market. After launching, they ask questions such as “How is the product performing?” “Is it easy or hard to sell?” “What kind of value does the product provide in the current climate?” “Is it generating revenue or not?”