As I’m pretty much excited with the whole entrepreneurship thingy, I know that it is not only important to think of something that could potentially provide value for others, but also to actually act on it.
This morning I came across this article that gave some examples of the usual dumb business ideas that people persistently attempt throughout the ages, with an emphasis on students, or people my age..
Some of the ideas included starting a campus textbook exchange service, and t-shirt companies, which I would sheepishly admit that I have toyed with the ideas but thankfully didn’t attempt.
There was also this idea about discount cards, which I can fondly recall discussing with BingXiong, Junkee and Xinwei over coffee at 4am, at a particular run-down coffee shop at who knows where. We were thinking of approaching hawkers all over singapore to join this affiliate program of ours where they would be offering promotions (3 extra fishbals today only! lol) to our discount card holders in return for publicity. I think we planned to earn from an annual membership from the hawkers… Now as I look back I can only laugh and realise how much I have grown.. but it was a good experience nonetheless!
What really struck me was this entry on Yet Another Social Network - I’m thinking of something similar right now! :o And the article says: “AND YET, THEY’RE NO DIFFERENT!” double oops.
But just a moment (please hear me out snigger) I’m not using the social network concept to connect people - I’m using it for a slightly DIFFERENT purpose:
Membership signup upon invitation only
For the sole purpose of controlling the number of signups to manage the growth of number of users AND to ensure that only legitimate people sign up. Some what similar to how Google Gmail beta was carried out
Accountability and Security
To ensure that users of my online service can be traced in a series of ‘links’ - okay, a bit ambiguous as I’m still in the midst of thinking about this.
That’s it. My take on using social network NOT for connecting people, but as a tool for facilitating controlled user growth and user verification. Besides, there are also many reasons why social networking does not work in connecting more people and making friends - for the sole reason that I don’t simply automatically become more eligible to be your friend just because you are my friend’s friend’s friend’s friend (get my idea?). Interesting to note that there’s someone who actually gave his take on a better social networking algorithm.
Give me your comments on this - I would like to hear my readers’ thoughts on this.
As a final thought, if you’re going to attempt on something entrepreneurial, GO FOR IT! but save yourself time by learning from previous failures that will continue to fail today.
UPDATE Read the comments of that article and out came another dumb idea close that to one I’ve been thinking of recently.. shudder