6 Unusual Ways to Discover Profitable Business Ideas

Entrepreneurs are great at finding inspiration everywhere. If you want to start a business, it helps to have an open and curious mind. Your next business idea, whether it’s an e-commerce site or a brick-and-mortar retail space, could come from unexpected moments of learning, connection, and discovery.

Here are some ways small business owners can discover profitable business ideas.

1. Read business news and blogs

One of the best ways to find inspiration as a small business owner is to read business news. Subscribe to the best sources of business and financial information such as Bloomberg, The Wall Street JournalAnd The economistFind industry journalists and commentators you like to follow on social media.

Keep an eye on the latest trends in your industry: What’s new? Which companies are struggling or thriving? Which stocks or sectors are seeing big changes? Is there a big trend in another city, region, or country that could grow in your area? Maybe you could get ahead of the curve with a new product, service, or business model.

2. Use free resources on Shopify and HubSpot

If you’re looking to start a content marketing or e-commerce business, there are some great resources available on sites like HubSpot and Shopify. You can use free videos and guides on these platforms to learn digital marketing skills like search engine optimization (SEO), how to build a successful website, how to do search engine marketing, email marketing, and more.

Just by immersing yourself in the world of online commerce, you can often find inspiration to start your own online store or e-commerce business.

3. Check out online business brokers

Sometimes buying a business is a great way to get started as an entrepreneur. But even if you’re not ready to buy a business, you can find inspiration by looking at business for sale listings.

Check online brokerage sites to see what businesses are available in your industry, region, or area of ​​interest. Examples of business brokers that help investors buy and sell businesses online include Ecommerce Brokers (ecommerce-brokers.com), Flippa, and Acquire.com.

Online brokerage sites sometimes aren’t able to list all the details of every business for sale because some of the information is confidential. But it can still be a smart investment if it helps you get an idea of ​​the types of businesses that have growth potential. You might find a good deal on an existing small business to acquire, or get inspired to start your own.

4. Attend real-life networking events

A big part of being a small business owner is something simple that doesn’t have to be high-tech: networking. If you want to find inspiration for business ideas, just attend local events hosted by your local chamber of commerce, trade associations, or coworking spaces. Meet and chat with people and find out what your local entrepreneurial community is passionate about.

5. Travel

What if you could find your next business inspiration by traveling to another country, attending an industry conference in another city, or simply taking a week-long vacation to the beach? Sometimes the best way to find inspiration for your business ideas is to get out of the house and get a change of scenery.

If you work in the restaurant industry, you might be inspired to add a new dish or flavor to your menu based on a new food item you taste at a waterfront food truck. You might also be inspired by the latest fashion trends in an international city, the billboards and advertisements at a train station, or the buzz of conversation in a bustling coffee shop.

Discovering new places and reconnecting with the rhythm of human life is always inspiring. Travel can take your mind out of your usual routine and introduce you to new contexts, colors, flavors, and sounds to help you see the world in a creative and entrepreneurial way.

6. Think about persistent and frustrating problems

Entrepreneurs are often optimistic and have a positive attitude, but sometimes it helps to dwell on the negativity. Think carefully about the biggest problems in your daily life. What are the pain points that cause the most friction in your career? What company could solve them? Your next business idea could be right under your nose.

In conclusion

Sometimes entrepreneurship is an exercise in creativity and imagination. Starting a business is an act of hope, an investment in a better future, and a way to create positive change in the world. Entrepreneurs can use a variety of methods to learn, engage more deeply in life, and discover profitable business ideas through curiosity and problem solving.