Ask HN: Would you subscribe to 3 business ideas a day?

[freeelncer]

What would you pay per month to receive 3 startup ideas in your inbox every single day? I have been consulting for large organizations and have and constantly see problems that need solving. Was wondering if people would want to pay for such a service?

[arkades]

0?

Brainstorming a couple business ideas is my breakfast exercise. It’s a brain-teaser, not anything of real value: I don’t have true insight into many other markets to answer the question of “why isn’t this already being done?,” and in the markets where I can answer that question... well, I’m currently working on an implementation, not broadcasting it.

Ideas alone are value-less. A decent market sketch would be required before it was worth my time, never mind my money. And even then: if you’re pumping out 3/day to the masses and not investing in these ideas yourself, you’re signaling these are really shallow, low-quality ideas you don’t actually think are worthwhile businesses.

If you don’t value these ideas, why would I?

(Aside: the likelihood that you’ve consulted in enough industries to sustain 3 worthwhile ideas a day is incredibly unlikely. It’s far more likely you’re spitballing in ignorance of many/most industries, or your ideas will revolve around the handful you’ve been deeply exposed to. The latter is much more valuable than the former, but again, does it sustain 3 ideas a day?)

For contrast, I pay for stratechery. What it lacks in volume, it makes up for in depth of analysis that few other places provide. You’re swinging in the opposite direction, and I don’t see a value proposition in it.

[kjksf]

If you had confidence that those ideas are slam dunk, you would mortgage your house, take a loan, hire developers and have them build the idea. Then you would profit immensely and retire in Bali.

You're not doing that because you can't estimate the risk vs. profit potential of your own ideas.

Neither can anyone else and that's why there is no "eBay for ideas". It's a perfect example of market for lemons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons).

Consequently, there is no market for "daily 3 startup ideas".

[ineedasername]

Not on the basis of this description. Ideas are easy, execution is hard. I think most regular readers in this space would have little difficulty identifying problems and giving a napkin sketch for a solution.

Who is the audience for three paid ideas a day? I don't see VC firms using this, startup launchers only need, at most 2 or 3 total and only until they find one good one to execute on.

The value in sale of ideas would come from sime of the followup to a good idea: some minimum marjet research to determine audience size, proclivity and ability to pay for a solution. Call it a rough outline for a business plan.

[mswen]

I wouldn't. Three per day seems too much and would probably fall into the trap of being shallow knock-offs of stuff that is already being done.

What would appeal more to me is 3 per week with each idea built out with things like:

Size of potential market,

Target industries identified,

Competition and Internal Substitutes,

Educated guess as to why this doesn't already exist,

Target buyer roles within companies for B2B or target buyer for a consumer product or service,

Maybe a couple more points like this

This could get very involved - but I am thinking like a nice succinct one page version covering these points.

This is getting closer to something I would pay for.

[PaulHoule]

Actually an analysis of businesses that are already working would be very interesting.

[CyberFonic]

So ten thousand subscribers get 3 biz ideas a day. I wouldn't subscribe because for any really good idea there are likely to be a hundred immediate competitors.

I also have doubts that you could consistently generate 3 high quality business ideas a day for any sustained period of time.

I doubt that there would be a market for ideas like: Uber for dog walkers, mobile turtle bathing service, gourmet cat food deliveries - well that's my 3 for today.

[Cheyana]

Okay...tell me more about this mobile turtle bathing service.

[CyberFonic]

It's like those trailers you see offering dog grooming services. So you have a shallow bath structure and a choice of salt or fresh water. You put the turtle in, let the hydrojets gently wash over it, then you rinse and return to owner. I haven't yet worked out how to handle to handle Galapagos Island Giant Tortises yet - probably need a hydraulic lifting platform and or a hoist. Of course you write a smartphone app with GPS and booking - rather like Uber. All mere details ;-)