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Startup Basics Day 2: IDEA GENERATING AND VALIDATING Welcome back to the Startup Knowledge Series! Yesterday we talked about what a startup is, and today, we’re gonna dive into the next big thing—coming up with startup ideas and figuring out if they actually make sense. 1. HOW TO COME UP WITH STARTUP IDEAS Where Do Ideas Come From? Solve Daily Problems Think about stuff that annoys you or people around you. What’s broken? What’s frustrating? If you can fix that, you’ve got an idea. Use Your Skills You’re good at something, right? Maybe you can use that skill to create something useful or cool for others. Follow Trends Trends are like waves—ride them early. Look at what’s happening in tech, culture, or industries you’re interested in. Check Out Competitors See what’s already out there and think: “How can I do this better or differently?” ASK PEOPLE Talk to friends, family, or random strangers. What’s something they really wish existed? Tricks for Coming Up With Ideas Painstorming : Sit down, grab a notebook, and list all the problems you can think of in a specific area (like health, education, or travel). SCAMPER Technique: Take an existing product and think about how to improve it—make it cheaper, faster, or just more fun! 2. HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR IDEA IS ACTUALLY GOOD Having an idea is great, but does it really solve a problem? Will people actually care? Here’s what to do: Step 1: Understand the Problem What EXACTLY are you solving? Is it a real problem, or just something you think is cool? Step 2: Look at the Market Who Needs It? Be specific about who you’re targeting—age, habits, location, all that stuff. Is There Demand? Use Google, Reddit, or even Instagram to see if people are already looking for solutions like yours. What Are Competitors Doing? Check out their websites, prices, and reviews. Where are they failing? Step 3: Test It Talk to Real People Ask them about the problem and your idea. Do they even care? Would they PAY for it? Make a Simple Website Create a page explaining your idea, and see if people sign up or click “buy.” Build a Super Basic Prototype Just create the bare minimum of your product and see how people use it. 3. Real-Life Examples : Dropbox Drew Houston made a short video explaining Dropbox, and people LOVED it. That’s how he proved there was a demand. Airbnb It started with air mattresses in a living room—yeah, really. They figured out people wanted cheap and unique places to stay. Now you’ve got some ideas and you know how to check if they’re worth pursuing. Tomorrow, we’re gonna talk about turning those ideas into something real with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). It’s not as scary as it sounds, promise! Catch you tomorrow for Day 3: Building Your Startup MVP!