Let’s assume you have a good description of your proposed business, and the business is an extension of something you like and know how to do well. Perhaps you have been a chef for ten years and have always dreamed of opening your own restaurant. So far, so good but you aren’t home free yet.
There is another fundamental question that needs answering: Does the world need, and is it willing to pay for, the product or service you want to sell? For example, do the people in the small town where you live really want an Indonesian restaurant? If your answer is Yes because times are good and people have extra money, ask yourself what is likely to happen if the economy goes into a slump ten minutes after you open your doors
Taste
People’s tastes drive many of the changes our society speeds through. For example, in the 1970s, many of us changed our taste in automobiles from large gas guzzlers to small, well-built cars. American manufacturers didn’t recognize this change in taste until they almost went broke.
The Japanese were in the right place with small, reliable cars and realized great prosperity. Consider popular music as another example. Music styles change every few years, and some bright businesspeople succeed by selling clothing and other accessories associated with each new music style.
What does this mean to you? Look at your business idea again. How does it fit with today’s tastes? Is your business idea part of a six-month fad? Are you going into something that was more popular five years ago than it is now and is declining rapidly? If so, you are likely to go broke no matter how good a manager you are and how much you love your business.
Trends
It’s one thing to understand that people’s tastes have changed and will undoubtedly change again and again, but it’s a lot harder to accurately predict what will be popular in a few years. I wish there were a central source of information about predicting future trends in any field, but there isn’t. You have the task of looking into the future and deciding where it is going and how that affects what you do today. Fortunately, a little research can do wonders. Here are some tips on how to proceed.
Read everything you can about your field of interest. Attend trade shows and talk to people in small businesses at the cutting edge of the field. Talk to people in similar businesses. Read back on issues of magazines aimed at your proposed field. Your goal is to know enough about your proposed business to spot the trends that will continue into the next decade.
For example, if you’re interested in opening a nightclub from the 1950s featuring a piano bar, mixed drinks, and lots of room for smokers, you should know that the consumption of hard liquor and cigarettes has gone down sharply in recent years and that nonsmoking lounges with wine and imported beer are doing very well.
Technology
Technology is your innovative kitchen appliance, your home computer, NASA’s new spacecraft, and even the proverbial better mousetrap. For example, lots and lots of people are working feverishly to come up with better video games, laser toothbrushes, wristwatches, TVs, and the like. Sometimes it takes years to perfect an item. That can be good news for small business owners, as there is plenty of time to prepare to profit.
