Generally, shaping and structuring a business idea can be complicated and tangled. This article aims to provide you with a concrete guide on where to begin.
Let’s start by giving your project a code name. It’s important to have a reference point. If you don’t yet know the final name of your project, think of a keyword. Something like Operation Seagull, Project Papaya, or Market Conquest—whatever helps you create a hierarchy in your mind.
Now, sit down with a pencil and paper, or with your phone or laptop, and start writing down all the ideas that come to your mind related to your project. Write them all down. Think about what it is and what it is not. Try to make short and concrete sentences. For example:
- We are an association of artists.
- We are a theater company.
- We are a collective.
- It’s an independent design store.
- We sell designs from local artists and artisans.
- We want to educate through the internet.
- It’s a community of XYZ.
- We will have no political ties.
- A percentage of the profits will go to X initiative.
- I will seek to create synergies with local businesses.
- I will start in X city, town, country, location.
- We don’t sell clothes; we sell a lifestyle.
Pour onto that paper (or device) all the phrases you can think of to describe what you will do or can do and sell. Think about whether it’s a service, who you want to sell to, name ideas, where or how you want to communicate your project, plans for expansion, etc. It’s possible that many of these things are still unclear to you. But don’t worry; all of this will become clearer along the way.
I recommend you do this exercise according to your creative process. Some people find it helpful to have a working session, while others prefer to take notes when ideas come. Just be sure to have a deadline to complete this preliminary activity. For those who prefer to work in an analog or visual way, I suggest using post-its: write one element of your list on each one so you can move them around, group them, reorganize them, and, most importantly, keep them visible.
The Golden Circle: Find the “Why” of Your Project
There’s a marketing theory that Simon Sinek explained very well in a TED Talk. It’s called the Golden Circle. It’s a model of three concentric circles aimed at understanding the Why, the How, and the What of what we do.
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” This idea from Simon Sinek summarizes the importance of starting with your purpose. The “why” is what drives you, what inspires others, and what makes your project meaningful. The Why is at the center circle because it drives our decisions, even the smallest and most everyday ones. If we are generally motivated by a why, then we should start there, right?
First, let’s understand what your why is as a creator/artist and what it is for your audience as a “consumer.” My mother used to say, “There’s always a nut for another nut,” and that’s what it’s all about in the end. Finding your nut: the one who buys from you, who follows you, who understands you, who becomes your fan, who tells everyone about you. The one who, if you make a mistake, understands and defends you.
When you understand the purpose—the why—of what you do from the inside out, it becomes easier to find your audience. Especially if you’re just starting out. People don’t just buy what you do; they buy what it represents. They buy when what they believe clicks with what you believe. Makes sense, right?
But the Golden Circle doesn’t stop there. There’s also the how, which is the way you put your purpose into action, and the what, which is the tangible result of everything you do.
If you clearly define these three levels, you’ll not only gain more clarity but also find it easier to connect with the right people.
Let’s Review Your List
If you made the list I asked for at the beginning, this would be a good time to go back to it and read it with everything we’ve covered about the Golden Circle in mind:
- Did you include the why in your list?
- Which of those phrases explain the purpose?
- Which describe the how and which the what?
We will constantly return to this list, so if you haven’t made it yet… what are you waiting for?
In this article, we’ve explored the why, which is the foundation of everything. In upcoming articles, we’ll talk about how to translate your idea into concrete actions (the how) and how to present it clearly and attractively (the what). So stay tuned!
💡 Want to take this exercise a step further?
We’ve prepared a downloadable PDF with all the guiding questions so you can work on your business idea at your own pace, write down your answers, and organize your project. 👉 Download the guide here
💬 Tell me in the comments:
- Has this exercise helped you clarify your idea?
- What other questions do you have on the topic?
- Is there something from your list you are still struggling with?
