Solving Problems Like Steve
When Apple was designing a way to burn movies to a DVD, the engineers presented an overly complicated user interface. Steve Jobs took one look at it and said it was crap. He then drew an empty rectangle and said: "This is your design."
The simplicity on the front end allowed the consumer to just drag a movie file into the box and click "Burn" and instantly create a DVD. That simplicity is something that can be seen in every product Apple has released.
Simplify the Complex
You can spot problems in the marketplace every day. In the apps that you use, websites you visit, or tools that you have. The quickest way to find your startup idea is to take a look at the tools you are already using and see how they can be simplified.
Maybe you are experiencing issues with a current SaaS product that is overly complicated for the result. The UI is awful, and it takes more clicks than should be necessary to achieve your end goal. Chances are good that if you are experiencing this problem so are others.
You Do Not Need a New Idea
Using this shortcut to finding your startup idea also has the benefit of a validated market. A market that already understands the need for the solution. You are not educating anyone on why they need this. You are showing them why yours is better.
Your startup idea does not have to be unique. It just has to solve the problem better. Taking something complex and simplifying the process is the quickest path to value. The graveyard of failed startups is full of original ideas that nobody needed. The winners are usually the ones who took something that already worked and made it simpler, faster, or more pleasant to use.
See this philosophy in practice: I simplified proposals with an instant-close proposal system and applied it to building lean with Start Small and Stay Lean.
