Comments on: Three More Ideas Hit the Chopping Block http://benjismith.net/index.php/2006/08/02/biz-three-more-ideas-hit-the-chopping-block/ Benji Smith, Software Research Tue, 08 May 2012 19:24:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: outback http://benjismith.net/index.php/2006/08/02/biz-three-more-ideas-hit-the-chopping-block/comment-page-1/#comment-1614 outback Wed, 02 Aug 2006 13:07:42 +0000 http://benjismith.net/index.php/2006/08/02/biz-three-more-ideas-hit-the-chopping-block/#comment-1614 While I was thinking about this whole "coming up with ideas" and "it has already been done by someone else" issue, I came to the following conclusion... Well it is nothing brand new, so maybe I should say I came to the following realization: The fact that many people can do the same thing and still remain in business has to do with "experience". For us human beings, experience is everything. From brushing our teeth, to driving a car, to having breakfast etc... If you can provide a unique experience while doing something many others might have already done, then you are in business. If your experience is the same as other's, then welcome yourself into the world of commodities. This is actually good because as far as I can tell, everyone is doing their best to copy the next guy who has success. Well, that will work for a while perhaps, but not everyone wants the same experiences. Do we all want to drive BMWs? Volvos? Hondas? Are these the same experiences? Let's not delve into whether they are unique or we think in our minds that they are. The result is the same. :) I've recently been to Disney. I've expected it to be great, but it was truely wonderful and unique. It is basically a glorified amusement park with rollercoasters, shows and fast food. But it is such a unique experience that even though I've been to Six Flags and other amusement parks before, I'd still want to experience Disney... Same with music... Just because I have a CD or two on Jazz doesn't mean I will never buy another Jazz CD ever again. It is potentially the same way with software except there is more lock-in with software, especially if there isn't an open file format, but you never know. People change every day. What they considered great yesterday, they might not think the same way today. In short, I think you just have to follow the ideas that you can turn into unique experiences. For that, you need to know your target group well and figure out what it is they want to experience today but cannot. This was a small personal paradigm shift for me. Perhaps it will help you or whoever else reads your blog too, or maybe you all already knew... :) Good luck. Looking forward to your future posts. While I was thinking about this whole “coming up with ideas” and “it has already been done by someone else” issue, I came to the following conclusion… Well it is nothing brand new, so maybe I should say I came to the following realization:
The fact that many people can do the same thing and still remain in business has to do with “experience”.

For us human beings, experience is everything. From brushing our teeth, to driving a car, to having breakfast etc… If you can provide a unique experience while doing something many others might have already done, then you are in business. If your experience is the same as other’s, then welcome yourself into the world of commodities.

This is actually good because as far as I can tell, everyone is doing their best to copy the next guy who has success. Well, that will work for a while perhaps, but not everyone wants the same experiences. Do we all want to drive BMWs? Volvos? Hondas? Are these the same experiences? Let’s not delve into whether they are unique or we think in our minds that they are. The result is the same. :)

I’ve recently been to Disney. I’ve expected it to be great, but it was truely wonderful and unique. It is basically a glorified amusement park with rollercoasters, shows and fast food. But it is such a unique experience that even though I’ve been to Six Flags and other amusement parks before, I’d still want to experience Disney…

Same with music… Just because I have a CD or two on Jazz doesn’t mean I will never buy another Jazz CD ever again.

It is potentially the same way with software except there is more lock-in with software, especially if there isn’t an open file format, but you never know. People change every day. What they considered great yesterday, they might not think the same way today.

In short, I think you just have to follow the ideas that you can turn into unique experiences. For that, you need to know your target group well and figure out what it is they want to experience today but cannot.

This was a small personal paradigm shift for me. Perhaps it will help you or whoever else reads your blog too, or maybe you all already knew… :)

Good luck. Looking forward to your future posts.

]]> By: Ben Bryant http://benjismith.net/index.php/2006/08/02/biz-three-more-ideas-hit-the-chopping-block/comment-page-1/#comment-1613 Ben Bryant Wed, 02 Aug 2006 12:14:30 +0000 http://benjismith.net/index.php/2006/08/02/biz-three-more-ideas-hit-the-chopping-block/#comment-1613 I just caught up on your 9 more ideas, and this. You are the bomb! Good stuff. I too am sad to see the Chocolate idea go, oh well! #1 sounds the most sensible (but boring), #4 and #6 I feel you underestimate the effort, #15 is a question mark, and #28 would not work as a program -- it would be better as a tool to help you write articles for a financial magazine when you discover rules like the stock has 68% probability of losing 12% value etc. I just caught up on your 9 more ideas, and this. You are the bomb! Good stuff. I too am sad to see the Chocolate idea go, oh well! #1 sounds the most sensible (but boring), #4 and #6 I feel you underestimate the effort, #15 is a question mark, and #28 would not work as a program — it would be better as a tool to help you write articles for a financial magazine when you discover rules like the stock has 68% probability of losing 12% value etc.

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