Business Opportunity

Small Business: Pro's/Con's

Small Business Failure

Small Business Borrowing

Franchise Opportunity

Business opportunity is all around us. That is the reality, whether you are a psychologist or a plumber. However, in order to identify business opportunity, we need to rid ourselves of the way we usually see the world. We need to develop a “entrepreneurial mindset” which sees the world in terms of problems and solutions. Most business opportunities are really found in identifying the mundane problems in our lives or those of others, and then figuring out how we can provide a solution to those problems in a way that can then to be marketed to others. It is really not any more complicated than that. 

Most individuals do not develop the quality of recognizing business opportunity because of their restricted view of the world.  They seem to approach life, jobs, careers and relationships as if there are only “tried and true” approaches to their professional and personal lives. Many individuals find it totally acceptable and even preferable to follow the “ well worn” paths of conventionality in the various aspects of their life. True business opportunity is not found in following the conventional path. It is found in creating your own path. Once again, it is found in the creativity of identifying problems and providing solutions within the parameters of your own interests and personal and professional resources.  

The ultimate business opportunity means finding your passion:  

In order to optimize your creativity at identifying and developing business opportunities you must find your passion. You must identify your interests, the things that really make you want to get out of bed in the morning. If you can find ways to work within those areas of interest, you’ll never lack motivation, the desire to learn or the drive to push your ideas forward into viable business opportunities. For example, this author began his professional life as an accountant, but began to recognize that many of the things that I read “for fun”, were related to psychology. I began a graduate program in professional psychology, graduated with a master’s degree and went on for a Ph.D.(now completing my dissertation). I completed a three-year residency and later became licensed as a psychologist. I have paid my dues in the mental health field, but have never regretted a minute. I have had the opportunity to create and develop outpatient psychiatry programs (outpatient counseling, intensive outpatient and a partial hospital program) as a program manager and later became the Director of the Department of Psychiatry at a local hospital in St. Louis. I found my passion and a life of fulfillment, which incidentally has provided many business opportunities. The most successful and fulfilling business opportunities always begin with finding your passion. 

As you identify and refine your awareness of your interests in conjunction with viable opportunities in the environment, you should be able to find your niche.  Your niche should be narrow enough to develop significant expertise, but be large enough to be marketable. As you develop your expertise and your niche, you need to allow your mind to become aware of problems people may experience in accessing your services or product, and provide marketable solutions. The liaison between the “problem” and the “solution” is the business opportunity.

In conclusion, find your passion and you will find your creativity. Creativity does not follow the “preordained” path.  It creates it’s own. Develop your skills, consistent with your creative desires. In optimizing your creativity you’ll be more expansive in your thinking, allowing you to be aware of “problems” which will require “solutions”, that surely only you can provide.