Quote source :
BusinessOpportunitiesAndIdeas
Image source :
Eli the Bearded
Here's an extract from a blog post written by John Crickett on how to come up with business ideas.

1. Expect to have ideas. If you believe you’re incapable of coming up with ideas then you won’t come up with any. Put aside any negativity about yourself or you creativity and expect to have ideas.
2. Keep an open mind. Ideas can come from anywhere and some of the best ideas will seem daft or impossible based on your current knowledge, experience and assumptions.
3. Keep a written record of your ideas - ideas that inspire you or ideas that are new to you. When you write things down you are more likely to remember them and if you don’t you’ve got a record to refer back to.
4. Try to learn something new every day. Talk to other business people, talk to your friends and neighbours, talk to anyone that looks interesting and will talk to you. Read websites, magazines, books whatever medium you prefer try to read something that will expand your knowledge everyday.
5. Talk about your ideas. Talk about your ideas to anyone who will listen. The point is that in explaining the idea you’ll usually spot flaws or areas for improvement thus making the idea better.
6. Ask questions and listen to peoples problems, hopes, dreams and aspirations. Peoples hopes, dreams and aspirations can provide ideas for a business.
7. Research see what else is out there that is similar. Evaluate potential competition and keep notes on what you find. Use the search engines to look for similar ideas, businesses or products and take notes on them.
8. Draw a mind map. A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea. It is used to generate, visualize, structure and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision making, and writing.
9. Synthesise ideas. Put two or more unrelated ideas together. One way to do this is to brainstorm with your team. You’ll get the best results if you’ve followed steps 1 - 6 first as you’ll have a larger pool of ideas to combine.
10. Sleep on it. Go away for a while and think of something else, often your subconscious mind will continue to work on the problem and will come up with new ideas or refinements on the ideas you already have.

I can confirm that these are solid, practical steps that will not only help you find an idea that you can turn into your very own small business, but will transform the very way you think and handle life.

When I first started out working for myself, I wanted to help others find ideas that they could turn into a small home business. I wanted to help people avoid the heart wrenching stress of losing their jobs. So I began reading, reading and reading. My brain was chock full of ideas, and I kept losing track of them. But these ideas wouldn't let me sleep! They would come back to haunt me and I'd find myself imagining what I would do to turn those ideas into full-fledged businesses. I knew I didn't have the time to work on every idea so I decided to put them into writing instead.

PositiveMoneyIdeas.com was born out of a desire to help others who were needed ideas that they could transform into a small business. I knew that not every one had the same capacity to come up with ideas - but I could and those ideas would give let me be. So I poured out those ideas into this website knowing that sometime, somewhere, somehow one of these ideas will light the spark of entrepreneurial passion in someone.

As I continue to read, explore and open my eyes and ears, I'm finding that even the simplest or out-of-this-world-zany ideas can be turned into a successful business. You just have to want success bad enough. I guarantee you that if you make it a habit to practise the steps above, you will also transform the way you think about problems.