Finding inspiration.........

Before anyone can start as an entrepreneur they need an idea to put into action. This may appear complicated and sometimes there is a danger of making this process harder than it needs to be. You don't need to develop the next Facebook or iPad to be an entrepreneur. If you can identify problems and solve them, share knowledge, be creative, or deliver a service that is of interest or makes life more convenient for others then you have a starting point which can be built upon.

Well, maybe you don't think you have anything to offer. I also thought this. However many of us have a particular interest, or skill, or specialist knowledge base that we can use as a platform. One way to become aware of what you can offer is by trying out a short but useful exercise (or at least I found it useful). Spend 10 minutes with a pen and paper writing down what skills you have. Don't dismiss anything at this point. Think about:

• communication
• what knowledge you have
• researching skills
• writing skills
• your ability to identify and solve problems
• your creative and innovative skills

The above are just examples and I am sure as an aspiring entrepreneur you will be able to think of many others. What is also really useful is if you can think of an example for each skill you have listed.
Now carry out this same exercise but list your hobbies and interests. What are they and how as an entrepreneur could you utilise them? Maybe you have specialist knowledge about horses, sport memorabilia, antiques, technology, marketing or a particular breed of dog. Now you need to consider how you can combine your current knowledge and skills to provide a service for others.

To gain a practical idea as an entrepreneur you will likely need to think of a few different ideas first and research there need. You may need to restart this process a few times before you come across an idea worth pursuing. It is not a good idea to start an idea that won't work.

To gain an idea of whether there is a need for your idea you can join or read forums related to your idea and see what problems other people are having. Can you solve any of these problems? This can be a great way of both generating ideas and seeing if there is a need or a gap in the market.

As an aspiring entrepreneur you may need to develop a mindset where you can see problems and solve them or develop current ideas. For example you can now order takeaways, pay for them and have them delivered all through a computer. Likewise you can do the same with shopping. These ideas are not complex. However they save people time and make activities more convenient. Although you do not need to offer something as largescale as this to be an entrepreneur examples such as this are good way of seeing how things that make peoples life easier are usually successful. In addition to this post I have published a Squidoo Lens "Top Tips to Create a Business Idea - For the Aspiring Entrepreneur" within this there even more hints and tips on generating ideas so it is well worth a read.

Hopefully this blog will have offered you a fresh angle and I hope you have fun generating ideas. Remember to think carefully before launching an idea and always seek the appropriate professional or legal advice before making an investment. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment.