Inventory Your Skills and Knowledge
Your first step to developing a business idea that will work for you in both the short-and the long-term is to find something that you're good at doing, that you know a lot about, or that you'd be happy to learn about. You need to figure out where your skills and your knowledge lie — and you might need to think beyond your own perceptions. Try the following exercise to kick-start the process.
What can I do if I don't have many skills or areas of knowledge?
People sometimes overlook their best attributes or even perceive these attributes as negative when they could be turned into something positive. Ask a trusted (and positive) friend to give you his perspective.
Put yourself into “brainstorming” mode. This means you're going to write down whatever comes into your mind, and you're not going to judge it — you're not even going to think about it at first. Then, ask yourself what you enjoy doing. This can be in any part of your life, whether it's an element of your current job (e.g., analyzing financial statements), a hobby (e.g., building dolls' houses), or a pastime (e.g., hiking). Fill pages of paper if you need to, but include everything that you can think of. These are the skills that you enjoy.
Stay in brainstorming mode, and ask yourself what you know about. Maybe you have detailed knowledge of the accounting rules for start-up businesses or maybe you can tell a car engine ping from a knock at ten paces. Think about the subjects that people come to you to ask questions about. Again, write everything down, without stopping to judge what you're writing.
Once you've finished brainstorming, take a look at your lists from a more analytical perspective. Your skills might reveal that you're highly organized, that you enjoy dealing with details, and that you love hosting Saturday-evening dinner parties. Maybe on the knowledge side, you've written down that people are constantly asking you for your recipes or for tips on how to create that great floral centerpiece. You might want to consider a home-based business that handles event planning, event set-up and decorating, or even catering.
Although you can certainly brainstorm your way to your unique set of skills and knowledge, it can be illuminating to spend time with an expert. Check out career counseling services at your job or in your community: They'll use tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Keep in mind that whatever you choose for your business, it's important that you enjoy it. You're going to be spending a great deal of time doing it, and you'll need to be self-motivated and self-disciplined for much of that time to make the business a success. Starting with something that you're passionate about, or that you love doing, is a great way to get you on the right path.
