How to Find a Great Idea Inspiration for your next amazing business idea can come from anywhere, so pay attention!

By Dan Bova • Mar 28, 2019

Share

Here are three ways that inspiration hit some very successful business people.

Annoyance. Bothered by a $40 late fee on a rented video, Reed Hastings thought to himself that video rentals should work like gym memberships -- you get charged the same amount each month no matter how much you use them. And from that, Netflix was born.
Noticing a trend and building off it. Gregorys Coffee founder and CEO decided to start his own business while sitting in a Starbucks. He realized he wanted to create an experience for people who like the speed of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, with the atmosphere of a boutique coffee shop.
They recognize needs. House cleaning and dog walking don't seem like innovative ideas, but people have started lucrative businesses focused on giving people what they crave most -- time.

These tips and many more come from Start Your Own Business. Check it out and other great resources at the Entrepreneur Bookstore.

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim and Spy magazine. Check out his latest humor books for kids, including Wendell the Werewolf, Road & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, and The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

More from Entrepreneur Exclusives

3 Simple Ways to Boost E-Commerce Sales

Discover best practices for optimizing your website's user experience and SEO to grow your sales.

Why Your First 1,000 Customers Are Your Most Important

How do you take a product to market? Watch as VC Jesse Draper coaches a first-time founder, and explains how to do digital marketing on the cheap.

How to Grow Your Business By Finding New Customers

If you want to attract new customers, you can't just market to them. You need to start a conversation with them.

3 Stress-Busting Relaxation Exercises You Can Do Anywhere (60-Second Video)

Try the "4-7-8" method, a tense-and-release exercise or simply practicing gratitude.

Editor's Pick

To Make Your First Million Dollars, Draw Up This Venn Diagram: 'You Want to Fall Right in the Middle. If You Do, I Think It'll Take 5 Years'
An Aggressive 1980s Marketing Campaign Made Many Americans Believe Cinco De Mayo Is Something It's Not. Are You One of Them?
9 Productivity Tips That the 1% Know to Follow
AI Is Transforming Drug Matching for Cancer, Rare Diseases — Here's How
From Pups to Profits — These Are the Top Pet Franchises for 2024
When Your Company Hits This 'Critical Mark,' Big Investors and Private Equity Will Come Calling

Most Popular

Growing a Business

Navigating Crucial Business Decisions — How to Know When to Pivot and When to Persevere

Here are ten key strategies for navigating the decision of whether to pivot or persevere in your business.

Business Solutions

Get Microsoft Office Pro 2019 and Windows 11 Pro for Only $50 Through May 5

Ditch those expensive monthly or annual fees and enjoy a lifetime of using the top MS Office Pro programs plus Windows 11 Pro for a single low payment.

By Entrepreneur Store

Business News

Tesla Is Reportedly Revoking Internship Offers to College Students Weeks Before Their Start Dates: 'I Spent Thousands On Housing'

Tesla reported a 9% decrease in quarterly revenue earlier this month.

Diversity

Why Women's Entrepreneurship is Booming Right Now

Women's entrepreneurship has taken some substantial leaps forward in the last few years.

Business News

These 4 Words Make It Obvious You Used AI to Write a Paper, According to New Research

Scientists are increasingly using ChatGPT and other AI bots to write studies.

By Sherin Shibu

Leadership

Top Career Motivations of Gen Z and Reasons They Choose an Employer

By understanding Gen Z's career motivations and aligning with the reasons they select an employer, companies can create workplaces that inspire and retain Gen Z talent.

By Ryan Jenkins