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Developing a Business Idea

Sample migrated from the current QIBN Members Portal blog content

Developing a business idea that is unique, feasible, desirable and viable can sound challenging, but when you break it down, you might find yourself on the brink of some very creative, unique and prosperous ideas.

Where to Start

Start by looking at what strengths and experience you have. When we looked at whether or not you were ready to start a business, you might remember filling out a Skills and Experience Inventory Worksheet. You can use this to check what you already have to offer.

Use your skills and knowledge to determine what people already ask you for help with. Does someone ask you for help with their computer? Are you good at mowing the lawn for family or friends? Do you have experience and skill with bush food, or cooking and baking? Are you talented at art or performance? Knowing what you already have to offer is a great start.

Your experiences and problems you have solved before in jobs or community roles are valuable when it comes to thinking about what kind of business you could start.

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Think about your cultural practices, stories or protocols that could shape a sustainable product or service.

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Do you have assets or equipment, like tools, spaces or vehicles, you can use or offer as services or products?

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Do you have access to networks, like family, Elders, Rangers, schools, festivals or something else that can open doors for your business?

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Look to Country 

 

Country can guide the “what, when, and how” of your business.

Seasonality 

Seasonality plays a big part in what your business can offer. You must align your business ideas with seasonal calendars; for example, if your idea involves guided walks during the flowering/fruiting season, it might not be viable out of season, or cultural tourism around events that don’t happen year-round.

Think of it like owning a beanie store. People don’t generally wear beanies in summer, so what else can you sell to make sure you keep bringing in money during the warmer months? 

Sustainable Use 

Both seasonality and sustainability apply here. If you are working with bush foods, fibres, or on Country, you need to plan for sustainable harvesting, permissions, and benefit-sharing. Consider when harvesting is available and what you’ll do with your business when it’s not. 

Place-Based Identity 

If your products and services are rooted in local stories (with appropriate permissions), they can stand out and command trust from your community. When thinking about business ideas, consider the stories behind them and how they develop. Writing down your process will help you build a solid plan and create your brand identity and story later on. 

Cultural Care 

When starting an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander business, it is essential to exercise caution when sharing sensitive knowledge, background information, or imagery. Keep this in mind when you develop your idea.

Look To Your Community 

Strong businesses solve real local problems. Think about all your local businesses: what they do and which problems they solve. The local shopping centre supplies food and necessities to locals, the mechanic fixes local cars, and the cafe provides baked goods and hot coffee to hungry guests. Every business serves a purpose or solves a problem. What purpose will your business have, and what problems will it solve?

The Community Opportunity Scan

The Community Opportunity scan helps assess what services/products are difficult to access in your area. It’s about determining what locals and visitors need. What do they ask for but can’t find in your local area? Where are they getting their resources, and are they driving long distances? Are they utilising online sales and paying high postage prices?  

The Community Opportunity scan involves speaking with at least 5 people. They can be other business owners, customers, decision-makers, residents, or your own family or Elders, and asking them questions like, “What’s hard to get here?” What would you pay for it if it were made here, reliable, and culturally safe, and when do you need it most to gain a deeper understanding of what your community needs or wants? 

Write down their exact responses in the Community Opportunity Scan Template to keep track of the responses, allowing you to identify and work on your ideas more thoroughly. 

Opportunities

Once you’ve identified what’s missing in your community, be prepared for a flood of business ideas. You could end up with a lot of ideas from many different industries or areas. Sorting out these ideas into Opportunity Cards can help you figure out where to go from here.

Use the Opportunity Card to help you think through each idea slowly and thoughtfully. It allows you to gather the problems, think about how you will solve them, assess whether the solutions are sustainable and realistic, and, most importantly, determine whether the idea interests you.

When you’ve completed a few opportunity cards, you can decide which one you like best, which one fills the gaps and is the most culturally viable option to start a business.