The short story is you have a brilliant idea. Whether it’s been developing at the back of your mind for years or you stumbled upon it yesterday, you are ready to make this idea big. It’s easy to envision the happy ending, but how do you get there?
Assess Your Personal Character
5 Characteristics of Entrepreneurial Spirit
Before you start, take a good look at yourself. What qualities do you have that will make this idea successful? Do you work hard? Are you absolutely ready to give this idea everything you have?
In order for you to break out and make a name for yourself, you need to have personal motivation and drive. You need to be focused and consistent. If you’re willing to take the risk, but unable to patiently wait for the work to yield results, you’ve got some work to do.
Fill in the Details
Now that you are sure you believe in this cause and its success, it’s time to get down and dirty. You need to get organized and research the ins and outs of your product. Find out if something similar exists and if there would be any demand for your product.
You’ll need to learn as much as you can about how to develop a prototype, the cost of materials and production, how to set up a business, and what the competition is like.
Partner Up
If you’re not Superman, then you’re going to need associates to help out with different aspects of your idea. A partner can be great to help offset startup costs. You might want team members who are great with numbers, paperwork, web design, and setting up a business so together you can create a successful business.
Start Development
Follow these 10 steps to turn your idea into a startup
Once you have the necessary team in place, you’ll need to manage how everything is progressing. You’ll oversee the development of your product, working with experts helping to design a physical product if necessary. If you can’t show people that your idea is of value and can visibly improve their lives, it won’t go anywhere, so it’s important to develop that brand with your team.
You’ll need to put more research and work into getting funded by investors or platforms like Kickstarter, all the while offering your team encouragement and troubleshooting any unforeseen issues (don’t worry, they’ll show up sooner or later). Sometimes new products will require copyrights and patents before you can find investors willing to help you out.
Sell and Sell Hard
How to Sell Your Idea in Less Than 3 Minutes
You should have an intimate knowledge of everything surrounding your idea. Even if you didn’t build the prototype, you should know how to explain it to a stranger on the street and get them excited about it. If you’re not willing to get out of your comfort zone to share it with other people, you’ll miss out on valuable insights and feedback that could help you make your idea even better.
At the same time, you need to approach people honestly and authentically. If they sense something is off, they won’t trust you, and by association, they won’t trust your idea either. It’s up to you to get it out there so it can change the world.