A couple of years ago, on Thanksgiving weekend Joanne and I traveled up to the Amish country in Ohio to visit my dad in his retirement home. As always, I was amazed at the micro enterprises that cover the back roads of this farming area where I was raised. At one shop, where I bought some fresh unpastuerized apple cider, we saw a pile 
of miniature straw bales, about half the size of regular bales. My brother told me a local Amishman had rebuilt a hay baler to produce the tiny, decorative bales. While regular sized bales sell for about $2.00, these half sized ones sell for $4.00. That’s the power of a unique idea.
We also visited the local winery featuring Amish Country Wine. And we stopped in at Homestead Furniture where we’ve had a couple of beautiful custom pieces designed and made for our home. There is certainly some amusing irony in the Amish being winemakers and having the latest laser technology for furniture making. But the point is they are great about finding unique ideas and building a successful business around them.
If you have an idea, you’ve got to have a well thought out business plan. The importance of a comprehensive, thoughtful business plan cannot be overemphasized. Much hinges on it: credit from suppliers, management of your operation and finances, promotion and marketing of your business, and achievement of your goals and objectives.
Here’s a free Business Planning Guide – you will see examples and questions to help you develop your idea. You’ll also see information relative to taxes, insurance and legal issues. I love to see simple ideas produce unusual success –
Now, let me see your idea develop. Let me know what creative idea you are developing.
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48 days.net is an amazing and large mastermind. I’ve met so many helpful people there.
Agreed!
I’m not sure if my idea ranks at the top of “most creative,” but I’m in the process of launching Success That Matters Coaching. I know a lot of full time coaches and full time bloggers, but not both (well, except Dan Miller of course!). I want to merge the two and let the blog/podcast be my main funnel for coaching clients, specifically Christian men with young families who are success-oriented, but want balance and purpose.
Wesley – that’s a very reasonable approach. Too many people try to make their blog or podcast their “business.” I’ve always just seen those as feeders for my real business.
I have so many creative ideas – that it’s hard to keep up with them all 🙂 I am happy to say that one idea that is becoming a reality this Spring is that my book 9 Traits of a Life-Giving Mom is being published.
Sue – congratulations on the book. That’s a major accomplishment and I’m confident it will be a foundational piece in moving you forward.
Thanks Dan. Writing the first one is a big step forward.
actually, on a volume (and weight) basis the small bales are 1/8 the size of a full bale, assuming each diminension is 1/2 the size of a full bale. Even more profit!
I’m working on getting my web development business off the ground. I was planning on trying to put together some blog posts, pdfs, etc. highlighting different web design features and practices to consider (even some for the less tech-saavy). But then I read a post from Derek Halpern that I should come up with other things that the clients would need.
For example, a small business or entrepreneur may need some help with blogging (how to, best practices, etc.). They may need information or books about business planning, development and growth. They may need access to marketing or business coaching.
I had a couple small ideas before, but I’m going to iterate and focus more on developing these outlying areas.
Joshua,
You can be a resource to direct people to other useful tools. You don’t have to be the only source of that information. Even Derek doesn’t try to have all the answers – just be helpful in pointing people in the right direction.
Great Blog Dan. Thanks for the planning guide. We’ve got some new things we are looking at doing with our diabetic business and
the guide should come in handy.