I am constantly having ideas. I am very creative, and really love the process of creating new ideas. My ideas have been praised at my work from the top brass, and many of them have been implemented. However, I can't seem but wonder how much happier I would be and how much money I could make running my own business. I can't seem to find any other "creative idea consultants." Is it feasible?

-- Keith Rohland (krohland@peoplepc.com), October 15, 2000

Answers

Keith,

I suspect you have an area in which you are particularly interested and talented. Seek out information and exploit that area of your talent. Do your homework and moonlight a little before you jump ship (if possible and you can still stand to work where you do currently). Write a business plan it will bring focus to your thinking and strategy (I highly recommend "The One Page Business Plan", by Jim Horan. It's easy and won't overwelm you with details).

I'm a struggling new business man myself and I may not be the one to advise you. I'm not getting rich BUT I have a reason to get out of bed every morning - it's because I choose and enjoy my work.

Regards and good luck,

Matt

-- Matthew A. Schneider (matsch@sasites.com), October 16, 2000.

To add to Matthews answer, you also have to research what other creative people have done. Take for example Andy Stephonvich, the co- founder of Play

http://www.fastcompany.com/online/31/play.html

Are you prepared to extend your creativity so that you use it to draw out other peoples ideas? That is the supreme art of consulting.

-- Mark Zorro (zorromark@consultant.com), October 16, 2000.

I was once have a creative idea like yours. Looking back into 1988, where I ask 2 of my cousins and a friend to help me setup a network. Being not computer literate at that time, they hesitated to help me out but only praise my creative idea. In short, I want them to help me (financially and technically) setup a BBS system where people could share informations (basically 4 years down the road it became the internet, the web)

Anyhow, if you have read Jan 2002 issue of Fast Company you will find that persistence is the source of success, learn from you failure for it will pave your future. I am currently trying to find a consultant for my project as well for a venture capitalist. I have a lot of negative feedback but do beleive that my idea would generate a lot of revenues.

Gook luck on your endevour, and always remember to payback people who help you.

Julius

-- Julius (jchionglo@execs.com), December 12, 2001.