Where does innovation come from?
For many, the entrepreneurial drive to go out and change the world (making money along the way) precedes the specifics of what exactly we're going to do and accomplish. It can be frustrating -- knowing that you are capable of something great while still unsure of what venture you should be pouring your soul into.
What I've learned in my entrepreneurial journey -- and continue to see time and time again -- is that those who simply try to come up with a product for the sake of monetizing it usually fail. On the flip side, those who focus on a problem and make it their mission to solve it oftentimes cannot be stopped.
A good product is a replicated solution. The bigger the problem, the better the product, and the larger your impact will be. Having a mission that's larger than just you will keep you motivated when it comes to tackling the adversity of bringing a product to market.
It's about shifting your mindset about your purpose as an entrepreneur: Rather than just selling to customers, you'll be serving them. See how this can light the spark for impactful innovation?
It Starts With Your Story
If you want a product or invention that resonates with people, it first has to be something that relates to your own life. Think about the common problems, nuisances, or inconveniences in your daily existence. If they keep coming up, you're likely not alone in the struggle.
In a crowded marketplace of commodity products, consumers today respond more to the story of the brand, and how relatable it is to them. As an example, inventor Shallan Ramsey founded a disposal solution, MaskIt, purely from her personal frustration with an overflowing bathroom garbage bin.
Most of the entrepreneurs I've talked to started from that place of initial frustration, including myself. They start as customers, so to speak, looking to buy a solution that does not yet exist. That gets the ball rolling, but we still need a greater mission to keep up motivated. Let's take a look at how to discover that.
The Mission Has to Be Bigger Than Yourself
Think about it this way: We are far more likely to stand up for a loved one or significant other than we are for ourselves. If recognizing a personal problem is the spark of innovation, seeing others we care about going through the same thing is the motivation that will see you through to the end.
For Ramsey, it was the revelation that her daughters will have to deal with the same issue throughout their lives if nothing is done about it.
This process mirrors the journeys of many of the entrepreneurs I speak to, as well as my own. What starts with your own longing to create change in your life grows all the more powerful when you see the impact it will make for those you love, as well as the world as a whole.
A Mission for All of Us
Every industry has an impact on the environment and it's every entrepreneur's responsibility in the 21st century to be working toward having a positive impact on the world we leave behind. Sustainable products and solutions are becoming not only necessities in your brand's story, but also enhancers of your bottom line with the rising trend of sustainable aware customers.
If you are looking for ways that your entrepreneurial drive can be put to good use, this is a great place to direct your energy. It's not about doing it all -- it's about finding the little ways that your business can be minimizing its carbon footprint.
Whatever your mission is, marrying that with the goal of sustainability will only multiply that initial motivation you have to create positive change.
Having a mission will also empower your ability to market the product. Taking sustainability for example, research shows that consumers are becoming increasingly partial to products and services that put environmentalism at the forefront.
Innovation certainly isn't easy. As you start on your entrepreneurial journey, you may feel so far from an idea and a product that is going to have the impact you want it to have. But if you listen to the stories of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs, you'll learn that success comes when we commit to a mission, setting out to create meaningful change for ourselves, our loved ones, and the world.
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