
I am an engineer. I don't know where to start and who needs me.
What pain points do you usually face when you're trying to find the problems that are worth solving?

Best Answer
The "build and they come" era for engineers is over. My friend. It was long over. Now it is "build it and hauler to your friends and they might come".
Two key words for you my friend: FOCUS. And friendship.
Only FRIENDS allow you to listen to their real pains and accept your solutions. So build relations with your heart. If you wan to provide and if you want to make money in today's world, you will be extremely disappointed. I am an engineer turned entrepreneur. I know exactly what you are talking about.
People only care about the things they care about during COVID lock down - love and toilet papers. Oh, grocery stores are open, good. Every other pain is forgettable.
Build relation. Make friends. That is first step.
Problems are scattered everywhere. Let's say during COVID a lot of people are out of jobs. And let's say many wants to do shopify or FBA business. Then they would not be able to handle the calls. Now that is the pain - to help gig workers with customer calls so they can focus on their work. So build an automated call handling software with AI algorithm. See you on the cover of INC next year!
Problems are everywhere. If you don't focus, you only see a white beach. If you focus, you see 1 triillion grains of sand, each representing a problem. Each will make you generational money.
The problem with American education system is (I was a professor), we have highly educated Ph.D. teachers teaching you from dry books or their wet research. We don't teach building skills. We never teach anyone how to FINISH building something, or how to "sell that item by identify value".
Today engineers are commodity - they are the nuts and bolts in a machine. Now you need to start thinking from the reverse. Think about three things. 1. Who I want to be my friends. 2. Solve any problem the friends have. Trust me, they can make you rich. 3. Build and learn and learn and built. Learn on the fly. Build on the fly. After this, you will be as clam as u/rolandopax. The COVID and AI will disrupt the world economy and tech landscape - act on something fast.
I have a list of free business ideas that you are welcome to take a look
https://www.teensharks.us/businessideabank
Other points
Choose an audience that you know. Research them. They will reveal the problems that they are struggling with, the language they use to describe those problems (which, if you use that same language, means your marketing will immediately appeal to them) and the amount they are willing to pay to have those problems solved.
And if you can't find a problem you want to solve - or you can't find a problem that they are willing to pay to have solved, switch to a related audience and start over.
Question asked by
u/calbeneo
Date
May 20, 2020 at 3:06:42 PM