Startups For the Rest of Us
Latest Business Ideas
Local Meetups for Founders
The podcast discusses the launching of local chapters for MicroConf Connect, a membership community aimed at connecting founders in relatable and geographical contexts. These local chapters would give entrepreneurs a chance to meet in person to share challenges, exchange ideas, and build relationships. Implementing this idea can be done by creating a platform where entrepreneurs in various cities can register for local meetups, whether through community-driven events or through online platforms like Eventbrite. It solves the problem of isolation for entrepreneurs and fosters a sense of community. The target audience would include startup founders, solopreneurs, and businessmen who are looking for connections to help them in their entrepreneurial journey. Specific tactics could include leveraging social media for promotion or offering attendee incentives such as free resources, educational content, or guest speakers.
From: Episode 787 | "We Shut Down a $1.5M Product, and Raised $10M Instead"
Develop a Data Aggregation Service
A compelling business idea discussed was the vision to create a better, faster, and cheaper data aggregation service using technology to compete against existing financial data infrastructures like Bloomberg. Entrepreneurs can build a SaaS product that offers streamlined access to financial data gathered from various sources, integrated with AI to enhance usability. This solution would focus on automating data extraction and providing real-time analytics for users in finance, investment, and trading sectors. The primary problem it addresses is the labor-intensiveness of current market solutions that rely on manual aggregation. The target audience would include finance professions, analysts, and firms needing efficient data solutions. Specific strategies could include forming partnerships with financial data providers and using machine learning algorithms to improve data quality and speed.
From: Episode 787 | "We Shut Down a $1.5M Product, and Raised $10M Instead"
Niche Licensing Info Hub
This idea is to build an online content platform that serves as a comprehensive resource hub for niche trade industries by aggregating licensing and regulatory information. The core concept originated from creating an in-depth master article that ranked highly for home inspector requirements. A dedicated website can be developed to host detailed guides, state-by-state licensing procedures, and related resources for trade professionals. By leveraging SEO best practices and using tools like SEMrush to discover adjacent keywords, the platform can attract organic traffic from professionals in niches that have traditionally been underserved digitally. Monetization may be achieved through ad placements, affiliate marketing, or lead generation for related digital products and services (such as specialized SaaS tools). The target audience is niche trade professionals seeking authoritative, up-to-date licensing information and advice on best practices. This approach not only solves the issue of scattered or outdated regulatory information but also helps build trust and brand authority in a niche market with low competition.
From: Episode 786 | Questions About Bootstrapping SaaS to a $90M Exit (with Kevin Wagstaff)
Niche SEO & Content Consulting
This business idea involves launching a specialized consulting service focused on SEO and content marketing tailored for niche trade industries such as home inspection. The founder would leverage personal expertise in SEO to create custom packages that include writing targeted blog posts, optimizing websites for long-tail, industry-specific keywords, and overall digital presence improvement. By addressing the unique challenges faced by traditional trades (e.g., slow digital adoption and low search volumes), the service can help these businesses generate more organic leads and improve customer engagement. Implementation involves using proven SEO tools like SEMrush to identify key adjacent keywords and building content strategies that capture search intent from potential customers. The service can start small by offering monthly retainers with clearly defined deliverables—such as two blog posts per month—and then scale by refining processes and possibly automating parts of the research and content creation over time. The target market includes small trade businesses that do not typically receive much digital marketing attention but need help in standing out online. This idea solves the dual problem of generating steady online traffic and converting niche audiences into paying customers while providing recurring revenue for the consultant.
From: Episode 786 | Questions About Bootstrapping SaaS to a $90M Exit (with Kevin Wagstaff)
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