Discovering the Next Big Idea

There is one question every entrepreneur, every investor, and every Biz Kid likely wishes they had the answer to: what is the next big idea? What is the next product, service, website, or app that will captivate the world and make me rich? Well, we don’t have that answer for you. But this week, we bring you three paths on the journey to discovering that next big idea. And don’t forget: Thomas Edison tried 10,000 times to make a lightbulb. Don’t give up.

1. Problems

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” goes the ancient phrase. Wherever there is a need or a problem, there is a group of human beings begging someone to invent a solution. Listen to the complaints of people in their everyday environments, and then invent the solution.

2. Changes is Society

When culture adapts, when society ages, or when human needs change, a window of opportunity opens. The aging of the baby boomer population has carried with it a wave of new market for innovation at every stage of life. Look for changes in trends, and be at the forefront of invention for the new needs and wants of the society.

3. Gut Instinct

For all the careful and assertive brainpower we can put into discovering the next big idea, there is still the indisputable fact that sometimes, our gut instinct is the best tool of all. World-class inventor Steve Jobs once said, “A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” It was the gut instinct of Steve Jobs that brought many of Apple’s products into our homes.

So there you have it, Biz Kids. Make this week one in which you look for common problems in society and think of ways to fix them, have ears open to the trends at hand and invent to fill the new needs, and listen to your gut. In any case, dream away and make something unique for our world.

Want to learn more about the creative thinking process? Check out clips from the Biz Kid$ episode, “Escape the Box,” online here.