It makes me laugh every time I hear someone say they are not creative or never have any good ideas. I think the real issue is that the don't recognize their own creativity. Often, the best ideas are not some completely original, brand new "thing." Rather, they are variations on a theme, a new take on an existing idea or a slight modification to a process or product. More money has been made from subtle changes to existing products and services than from some completely brand new invention. The odds are you see ways to improve things every single day. The real question is (and get honest with yourself here) are you willing to put in the work to develop that idea? For most, the excuse "I'm not creative" is synonymous with "I'm mentally lazy."

Don't get me wrong, not every idea is a bonafide moneymaker, but sometimes the most unlikely ideas do very well (Billy Bass anyone). You might go through few ideas to get to one that is financially successful but the other ideas you'll develop along the way will start the explosion of inspiration that will make everyone else think you are a creative genius and will help you to start identifying niche markets that need your ideas. Take one idea and run with it. The next thing you know you won't know how to shut off your idea machine.

Best of all, and here is the kicker, incremental changes in existing things are what really improves the lives of the people around you. Think about it:

- Can you make shampoo that doesn't burn a baby's eyes? (OK, Johnson & Johnson beat us to it long ago but the idea is they didn't invent shampoo, they improved it).
- Can you make something more accessible to someone who is disabled? A lot of places, sites, ... have to comply with making things accessible so you have a built in market.
- Can you make a home safer for small children?
- Can you make it faster and easier for a bartender to pour the perfect beer while reducing wasted beer from a keg? (Don't underestimate the importance and financial viability of that one, your ideas don't have to be totally altruistic). Such an idea might even spring board into a way to chill beer faster... :)

Those few ideas should be sufficient to get the idea across. Ideas don't have to be revolutionary to be great but they may become springboards for revolutionary ideas and they will help you realize how creative you really are. So while you are at it (as your baseball coach would say) "stop trying to hit a homerun and just get your a$$ on first base." Ideas that make you enough money to live on and set you free from your cubicle are worth as much or more than "the next big thing." You'll get to that soon enough. Walk before you run...

Company Examples:
BASF: Their tagline - "We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better." Their whole business is improving what is already there.

Hennessey Performance Engineering: They didn't invent the Viper but they'll take yours and give it 1000hp (because 500ish just isn't enough).

Labels: ideas