This Is Your Next Big Idea

Do all great companies start with the next big idea?

• Windows transformed the way we use computers, and the computing landscape. But it was really just a visual to accompany what was already being done with DOS. The big idea was to listen to customers and make what they already had easier to use.
• Instagram started out as a Foursquare competitor, and not a very good one. Originally called ‘Burbn’, you could check-in to places and share photos. The big idea was to listen to customers and make what they already had focus on what they cared about: the photos part.
• Slack started out as a video game, an endearing-but-short-lived online adventure. Called ‘Glitch’, the game enabled organic open-world discovery and intuitive chat with other users. The big idea was to listen to customers and focus on the part they did really well: chat.

Your narrative about your work is different from the market’s. If you’re too busy listening to–and sharing–your narrative, you won’t hear the story going on in their minds. How clear are you on what your market needs to hear–and see–from you?

Tip: There’s a simple process for finding out who they are and what they need to hear from you. Check out BuiltForImpact.net to find out.