Nice thread OP! I would like to chime in as I have been thinking about these issues the last couple of days. I am in the same boat as you, my intentions are clear (launch my own business) but the step right after, which is really the first step in becoming an entrepreneur, is a complete blur. I know I want to go compete in the Olympics but I still have to choose the sport, train really hard, find a good coach and avoid all the injuries. It's a long journey but we will get there
Now, I will answer your question. I know 3 individuals who went from sales to entrepreneurs and they all followed the exact same path. They started working as salesman for several years in a specific industry, they accumulated the expertise then they created their own business. The key here is that they stayed in the same industry for several years (Advertising, Real Estate and Garment). The prior experience in the industry coupled with the solid network they had built helped them both, in spotting the opportunity and in opening/running their business. This is what I am planning to do, work in a sales job within my specialization then see if I can leverage that knowledge and find an opportunity.
I think the danger is to change industry every now and then (industry hopping) you will for sure become a great salesman but you will not gather enough expertise in any specialized market (product). Maybe if your goal is to open a sales firm / marketing service firm this might benefit you. You will still be able to do that. Personally, this is what I want to avoid. In your case, maybe you can continue in the same industry cyber security/software if you have enough knowledge about that.
Now I would like to help you a little more.
I know, I know… I am not entrepreneur yet but just hear me out
Suits said something interesting about desire and ability. Abilities are basically things in which you are good at. Felix Dennis explains this very well in his book (I second the recommendation). Hopefully, by next year you will be a good salesman and you will have a good knowledge about Cyber security and software although I believe you are more focused in the sales side in this case you follow what Car Michael said. As you pointed out sales is not enough but a year from now your abilities will be as follow: strong sales skills, expertise in your industry and other technical skills (coding...).
You will be better suited at finding an opportunity this way. Car Michael raised a good point and I strongly agree with him, ideas are overrated. You can’t even protect them, it’s the execution / expression of the idea that counts. They call this the idea-expression dichotomy in business. You do not need an idea what you need is an
OPPORTUNITY! An idea may not meet the criteria of an opportunity. Many people make this mistake and I hope I will not make it. You can have the best idea in the world if it doesn’t meet an opportunity you will not make any money. Now, we need to be clear on the definition of an opportunity. Google defines it as follows: “a time or set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something.” In business it's slightly different, an opportunity is a set of circumstances that create a need for a product, business or service.
Before jumping in the different ways to identify an opportunity you need to know what are the qualities of an opportunity. The perfect opportunity has to be attractive, durable, timely and most importantly anchored to a business, product or service. Keep in mind these four qualities when you have your potential candidate and assess it accordingly. You assess the potential opportunity just like you would assess a potential wife. She needs to be feminine, knows how to cook, faithful and she wants kids. Your potential wife might not have all these qualities but she might still be a good wife. Same thing with an opportunity, it might not have all of qualities but it can still be a good opportunity to seize. Now, if your potential wife has all the qualities but is not faithful. You pass and find something else. Same thing with a potential opportunity that cannot be anchored to a business / a product or service.
How can you identify an opportunity?
There are generally three ways to identify an opportunity and you want to think about all three.
First, you observe the trends (Macro-level) and see how they will impact your industry. There are four main trends you want to follow and see if they create an opportunity you can seize (Political, Economic, Social and Technological). When assessing each macro trend, you keep asking yourself these questions: What does a change in this trend mean for your industry? Does it create business opportunities? If yes, is there any money to be made (Attractive)? Is it a good time to launch this (Timely)? Is it sustainable (Durable)? What kind of business product or service can I create? (Is it anchored to something)
You have the political trends, when observing this trend you want to follow the changes in politics, change in presidency, a party that is increasing in popularity, new bilateral agreements… For example, if we take a change in president. What are the opportunities that will arise under the new president? Maybe there will be more environmental laws, more opportunities for renewable products… Maybe there are new laws that were voted, against men? Neo-masculinity products. Maybe there are new pro-immigration laws, opportunities for more immigration services (Legal, counselling... ). New trade agreements? Import-Export opportunities… Second, you want to observe the economical trends. What kind of opportunities do I have in this booming economy? Discretionary products… In this shitty economy? Discount products… Unemployment rate, interest rates... Maybe the consumer spending pattern in different market within an industry, maybe you notice that people are spending more money in this product. There is an opportunity to be seized. Third, you want to observe the social trends. What does an aging in population mean? More elderly products needed, retiring home, granny game
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A high divorce rate? Refugees? You think about these things. The last factor is technological, how does this new technology affect the industry? What are the opportunities I can benefit from? Maybe more important now than ever.
The second way to identify an opportunity is by solving a problem. Maybe you encounter a problem in your life accidentally and find that a lot of people have the same problem. You go and solve it and create a business. For instance, several men had problems with women. Then, a group of individual3 went and solved this problem then created their business (Roosh, RSD…)This is also how Dropbox was created, the guy lost one day his USB key in the bus and then he went and created Dropbox.
Third way to sport an opportunity is to find a gap in the marketplace. This is often created when a product or service is needed by a specific group of people but doesn’t represent a large enough market for traditional firms. Niche products, you basically copy the general business model and cater it to a niche. Mexican fast food, Ethnicity game (Black, Asian)...
I hope this helps!