Business 101:A Free Course to Help You Win

Every business that lasts starts with a real problem — not just a cool idea. Before you fall in love with a solution, get specific about the problem itself. Who has this problem? How often does it happen to them? How are they dealing with it right now, even if that just means putting up with it? A good test: can you describe the problem in one sentence, without mentioning your solution at all? "Students waste time searching for tutoring help" is a problem. "An app that connects students with tutors" is a solution — and it's worthless if the problem isn't real or isn't painful enough for people to actually want it fixed. Look for problems close to you — in your school, your neighborhood, your part-time job, your family's routines. You don't need something world-changing. Some of the strongest competition entries come from small, specific, personally-understood problems, because the founder actually knows what they're talking about. Watch out for the "solution looking for a problem" trap — starting with something you want to build and inventing a justification for it afterward. Judges can tell the difference between a problem you've genuinely observed and one you made up to fit your idea.