[jtolmar]

Neat article. It's definitely a good idea to get actual numbers to estimate total addressable market, CTR, and CPC. However I want to call attention to this bit:

> First off, there are a ton of enabled small businesses competing in this space and I'm not sure there needs to be a middle man. For example, I get 4 ads from businesses in Seattle offering lessons for guitar on Google. Thus, they know how to market and get customers, they are offering free first lessons, and have availability. So I am unsure/doubt there is any real consumer problem.

If your idea doesn't solve real consumer problems, kill it. It doesn't matter if the total market, CPC, and LTV are all amazing, this is sufficient. Even if you succeed, all you'll have done is shuffle some money around. Go make things that actually help people.

[tmpz22]

I agree but would add the caveat that many market niches have a surprising amount of depth that may warrant further discovery. For example TAKE one of these guitar lessons and if some creepy person comes up with a windowless van and gives an awful lesson there may be demand, just the demand is more hidden.