How to Find Your Next Big Idea Hiding on the Internet - Ep. 10 with Steph Smith
Feb 14, 2024
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Steph Smith, host of the a16z podcast and online creator, shares her expert approach to uncovering business ideas on the internet. She discusses how to harness tools like ChatGPT for idea generation and simplifying complex information. Tips on leveraging SEO and examining customer reviews for market insights are shared. The conversation also explores trends from Reddit and innovative product concepts, showcasing how the digital landscape is ripe for entrepreneurship and creativity.
Leveraging ChatGPT can help generate great ideas and understand complex concepts.
ChatGPT can be used to organize large amounts of data efficiently.
SEO tools are valuable for vetting business ideas.
Insights from Reddit can be a valuable source of useful information.
Google can provide additional data on a market.
Deep dives
Generating Ideas for Meetup Icebreakers
For a meetup event, Chitchat BT provided several creative ideas for breaking up the attendees into smaller groups, including meme match-up, emoji charades, social media speed dating, tech time capsule, internet trivia challenge, and profile picture puzzles.
Explaining Dark Matter in the Voice of SpongeBob
Chitchat BT successfully explained the concept of dark matter in a playful and enthusiastic voice imitating SpongeBob SquarePants. It provided an engaging and simplified explanation of dark matter, highlighting its mysterious nature and its deviation from the known laws of physics.
Exploring Both Sides of the Tipping Debate
Chitchat BT engaged in a debate about the existence of tipping in America, presenting arguments from both sides. The summary provided insights into the potential advantages and disadvantages of tipping, helping to understand different perspectives on the issue.
Cleaning up Data and Tagging
Chitchat BT successfully assisted in cleaning up data by tagging a list of words based on their provided definitions. While there were slight hiccups, Chitchat BT delivered a formatted table with tag assignments, reducing the manual effort required.
Idea 1: Creating a D2C brand for women's walking shoes
One idea that the podcast explores is creating a direct-to-consumer brand that focuses on women's walking shoes. The speaker shares that traditional running shoes don't always cater to the specific needs of walkers, both in terms of style and functionality. The idea is to design and offer walking shoes that are comfortable, stylish, and specifically tailored for walking. The speaker gets inspiration from their own mother's experience and believes that there may be a market for women who are looking for dedicated walking shoes.
Idea 2: Creating a brand for generic medications
Another idea discussed in the podcast is creating a brand around generic medications, particularly antidepressants. The speaker highlights that generic medications often lack the same branding and ritual associated with other forms of therapy, and wants to create a brand that brings more personalization and feeling to generic drugs. The aim is to provide a more positive and transformative experience for individuals taking medications for mental health. However, the speaker acknowledges that there may be legal considerations and challenges to navigate in pursuing this idea.
Idea 3: Developing a desktop organization app
The podcast explores the idea of developing a desktop organization app called 'Sparkle'. The app would automatically sort files on the desktop, downloads, and documents folders into appropriate categories. The goal is to help users maintain an organized digital workspace without needing to spend time manually organizing files. The speaker mentions that they have already created a demo of the app, which gained attention on social media. However, further research is needed to understand the market demand and potential competition for such an app.
Passive noticing and the value of keywords
The podcast episode discusses the concept of passive noticing and the value of keywords. The speaker mentions that when using keyword extensions and noticing trends on the internet, one can passively notice things that they might have otherwise missed. This includes identifying trends, discovering popular searches, and uncovering related questions or topics of interest. The speaker emphasizes that this kind of passive noticing is valuable for both actionable insights and for the fun and curiosity it brings. Using tools like keyword extensions can make this noticing process easier and help individuals in their creative pursuits or business ventures.
Online tools and the importance of a strong browser
The podcast episode highlights the importance of online tools and having a strong browser for an enhanced internet experience. The speaker notes that a browser serves as an access point to the internet, and having a seamless and upgraded version of a browser improves the overall online experience. The speaker mentions how using helpful browser extensions, like keywords anywhere, can provide useful functionalities and make internet journeys more efficient. However, the speaker also acknowledges that certain tools, like keyword extensions, may have limitations on specific browsers, which could impact their accessibility and usefulness. Overall, the episode emphasizes the importance of optimizing one's online access point for a better internet experience.
