A lot of us want to start something of our own, but getting business ideas doesn’t always come easy. You sit there, trying to brainstorm, and… nothing. I saw a Reddit thread where people admitted they were stuck too — wishing there was a tool that could just hand them real, useful ideas.
So here’s the solution: instead of waiting for inspiration, you learn where ideas actually come from. Real problems. Real people. Real moments.
I’ve been there myself. I remember wanting to start a business so badly but feeling empty every time I tried to think of an idea. It was frustrating, almost embarrassing.
This article fixes that. I’ll show you simple, practical ways to find ideas you can actually use — even if you feel stuck right now.
Let’s get into it.
12 Tips to Make Getting Great Business Ideas Easy for You
You don’t have a business idea problem, you just need a better way to find them. Here are 12 tips to make this easy for you.
1. Start With Problems You Can Actually See
One of the clearest themes from the Reddit thread was this: people don’t really struggle to get business ideas — they struggle to spot problems worth solving.
Problems are everywhere.
Slow services. Confusing processes. Tools that waste time. Businesses that should exist but don’t.
When you pay attention, ideas show up on their own.
I started training my brain to notice the tiny frustrations around me. The broken booking system at a local salon. The delivery service that always arrived late. The laundry shop that never picked up calls. Each one was a potential idea.
You don’t need creativity to get business ideas. You need awareness.
2. Look At What You Already Do Well
People often skip the most obvious source of ideas: themselves.
Your skills, your background, your habits — they’re all idea generators.
Ask yourself:
- What do people always ask me for help with?
- What tasks do I do faster than others?
- What problems have I already solved for myself?
One Reddit user mentioned that the best business ideas come from your own backstory — the challenges you’ve lived through and fixed in your real life.
It’s true.
A friend of mine turned her love for planning into a full social media management service.
Another friend who struggled with acne started selling homemade skincare kits.
Sometimes your strengths look too basic to you because they come naturally. But that’s the point. What feels easy to you doesn’t feel easy to everyone.
Remember: people pay for ease.
3. Borrow What Already Works (Then Add Your Twist)
One user said it so simply:
“You don’t have to create something new. Just see how others are making money and copy them + add your spin.”
It’s one of the smartest ways to get business ideas.
Open your eyes to:
- Services that are already popular
- Small businesses that are always busy
- Online creators making steady income
- Tools people talk about a lot
Then ask:
“What part of this can I do differently or better?”
Maybe it’s cheaper.
Maybe it’s faster.
Maybe it’s more personal.
Maybe it targets a group others ignore.
You don’t need originality.
You need improvement.
4. Start With a Simple Service Business
When you feel stuck, service businesses are your safest starting point.
Why?
They’re fast.
They’re cheap.
And they only require skills you already have.
Some examples:
- Cleaning
- Copywriting
- Tutoring
- Social media management
- Home repairs
- Photography
- Virtual assistance
You’re selling your time, not a product.
Someone on Reddit said they made $10,000 in one month by offering snow services. No fancy idea. Just a simple solution people needed.
Sometimes getting business ideas is less about brainstorming and more about looking at what people pay for right now.
5. Pay Attention to Daily Frustrations
A surprising amount of businesses exist because someone said, “I’m tired of this.”
Think about:
- Long queues
- Expensive products with no alternatives
- Bad customer service
- Slow websites
- Complicated tools
- Everyday tasks that take too long
One commenter on the Reddit thread said they write down every annoyance they run into, and those notes turn into real ideas.
Try doing the same.
Keep a “Problem List” on your phone. Every time something bothers you, write it down.
Problems = opportunities.
6. Learn From What People Complain About Online
People complain online every day.
Twitter.
TikTok comments.
Reddit.
Amazon reviews.
Facebook groups.
If you read carefully, you’ll find:
- unmet needs
- product gaps
- missing features
- bad experiences
- things people want but can’t find
For example:
Amazon’s 1-star reviews often reveal what buyers wish products had.
Reddit threads expose problems in specific industries.
TikTok comments show what young customers struggle with.
If people complain about it, there’s potential demand.
7. Explore Your Local Environment For Gaps
Local businesses are one of the easiest places to get business ideas.
Walk around your area and look for:
- Shops that are always overcrowded
- Services that don’t exist
- New neighborhoods with no delivery options
- Businesses doing a poor job
- Markets closing early
- Customers standing in long lines
Patterns will show up.
A Reddit user said to look for “abundant or obscure but high-value local businesses” and study their pain points. It’s practical advice because local problems often lead to faster success — people already need the solution.
8. Use Google Trends and Industry Reports
This is one of the points where a reputable online source helps.
Google Trends gives you real-time data on what people are searching for. You can easily spot:
- rising business ideas
- trending problems
- growing industries
- seasonal opportunities
According to Google Trends, demand for remote services, AI tools, and online learning keeps climbing every year. That’s free insight anyone can use.
Industry reports also help. For example:
Statista consistently publishes data showing growth in sectors like e-commerce, subscription services, digital payments, and creator tools. If you look at the charts, you’ll instantly see where demand is moving.
This isn’t guessing — it’s using real data to get business ideas.
9. Validate Ideas Before You Fall in Love With Them
One comment in the Reddit thread hit a nerve:
“You don’t have an idea problem. You have a validation problem.”
Most young entrepreneurs get excited about ideas they never test. Then they waste months building something no one wants.
Validation saves you from that.
Here’s a simple way to validate in a week:
- talk to 10 people
- ask if the problem is real
- ask what solution they wish existed
- ask if they’d pay for it
- build a simple mockup
- share it online
- see if anyone engages
If no one cares?
Move on.
Idea validated?
Start small and simple.
10. Look for Pain Points in Fast-Growing Communities
Online communities are full of hidden business ideas.
Places like:
- Discord groups
- Facebook groups
- Niche Subreddits
- Slack communities
Someone in the thread even said they wish a tool existed that could show “ideas backed by real pain points and allow filtering by skills”.
That’s a hint. People want curated, filtered ideas that match their strengths.
If you join communities in industries you’re curious about — fitness, finance, beauty, tech, food — you’ll see hundreds of questions daily:
“How do I do this?”
“Why is this tool so confusing?”
“Does anyone know a service for this?”
“Why doesn’t this exist yet?”
Every question is a business idea waiting to happen.
11. Study What People Already Spend Money On
If someone is already spending money on something, the demand is proven.
You don’t need to guess.
You just observe.
Here’s what to look for:
- Subscriptions people keep renewing
- Services people use monthly
- Tools people recommend
- Products that sell out
- New cafes or shops that stay busy
- Courses everyone talks about
If people pay consistently, there’s value. And if there’s value, there’s opportunity.
12. Build a Small Experiment Around Any Idea You Like
Experiments help you get business ideas without pressure.
Try things like:
- offering a free trial
- creating a simple landing page
- posting a quick concept video
- selling a digital product
- offering a mini service
- sharing your idea online
You learn fast:
What people like.
What people ignore.
What people pay for.
The beauty of experimentation is that you don’t need to commit. You just test. If it works, you expand. If it doesn’t, you try the next idea.
Final Thoughts: Ideas Come From Observation, Not Imagination
The best part about trying to get business ideas is realizing you don’t need a perfect idea to start. You just need one real problem you can help someone solve. That’s it. And once you see ideas this way, everything becomes lighter and way less intimidating.
Pro tip: keep a small “problem list” on your phone. Every time something annoys you, write it down. Those little notes turn into real opportunities faster than you think.
Here’s a quick recap:
- Ideas come from real problems people mention daily.
- Your skills and background already point to strong ideas
- Validation matters more than having “many ideas”
- Simple service businesses are often the easiest place to begin
And when you have your business up and running, this would be the best resource for scaling it.
Before you go, drop a comment and tell me the part of this post that resonated with you the most!
