Brainstorming Business Ideas: How To Find Business Ideas (2026)

Brainstorming business ideas or a spontaneous insight is behind every profitable business.

It sounds simple, but coming up with new brick-and-mortar or online business ideas is challenging when countless entrepreneurs are competing for attention. 

The stakes are real, too. Data shows that only about one-third of new businesses are operating after 10 years, underscoring how critical it is to start with an idea that can grow, adapt, and meet real customer demand.

The good news is that strong ideas aren’t just about inspiration. They’re shaped through research, observation, and iteration. With the right brainstorming approach, it’s possible to dramatically improve your odds of building something that lasts.

Learn how to develop your own ideas for a business with tips from successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming is the creative process of generating ideas. It often happens in a group, where different participants share perspectives, react to one another’s thoughts, and build ideas collaboratively. Group brainstorming works especially well when people bring diverse experiences to the table, helping surface angles or opportunities one person might miss on their own.

Brainstorming can also be a solo activity. Individual brainstorming gives you space to think deeply, move quickly, and explore ideas without outside influence. Many entrepreneurs use a popular visual brainstorming technique known as mind mapping to organize thoughts and turn loose ideas into clearer concepts.

Both approaches have value. Group brainstorming can spark unexpected connections and challenge assumptions. Solo brainstorming is ideal for refining ideas or working through problems at your own pace.

“A lot of the most exciting problems are ones you have yourself,” says Noah Kagan, CEO of AppSumo, a platform where entrepreneurs can buy and sell software, in an interview with Shopify Masters. He’s also the author of Million Dollar Weekend, which teaches readers how to come up with a business idea within a single weekend.

The science behind brainstorming

Brainstorming might feel abstract, but there’s real science behind how ideas form. Creative thinking draws on multiple parts of the brain at once, including areas responsible for memory, emotion, and sensory processing. 

That’s why ideas often come from personal experiences, gut feelings, or noticing small frustrations in everyday life.

Researchers also point to two key mental modes at play. One mode helps you generate ideas freely—similar to daydreaming or letting your mind wander. The other helps you focus, evaluate, and turn those ideas into something usable. 

Effective brainstorming happens when your brain switches between the two, allowing you to explore possibilities before narrowing them down.

The takeaway for entrepreneurs is that creativity isn’t a fixed trait you’re either born with or without. It’s a skill that improves with practice. 

The more you intentionally brainstorm, experiment, and reflect, the easier it becomes to spot opportunities and develop them into viable business ideas.

How to brainstorm business ideas

• Assess where you spend money as a consumer
• Spend time on message boards
• Ask people what they need
• Investigate the tasks you avoid
• Look for accessibility gaps

Many founders draw inspiration from daily life.

“When I started Polysleep, it was mainly because I was bedridden with a herniated disc,” Polysleep cofounder and CEO Jeremiah Curvers told Shopify Masters. “There was this need. I really wanted to come up with the best mattress.”

You don’t need a herniated disc to hit upon a great business idea. Here are some ways to use your own life as a jumping-off point for brainstorming unique business ideas.

Assess where you spend money as a consumer

One of Noah’s favorite ways to come up with new business ideas is to look at your bank or credit card statement and ask yourself: What do you spend a lot of money on? Start brainstorming ways to make that product or service better, more affordable, or more convenient.

Spend time on message boards

Noah regularly checks the social forum Reddit to pick up new business ideas. If a lot of Reddit users comment, “I wish I could buy this,” when referring to another user’s creation, there may be an audience for it.

For example: A user shares a custom chest they made to store board game pieces and a lot of other users express interest. You might consider manufacturing your own board game storage chests. (Of course, you shouldn’t copy another person’s design; but this may point to a potential business opportunity.)

If you’re interested in a specific industry, look at what potential customers in that industry are talking about. Is there an unmet need you can fill? Is there a common complaint a revision or new product would resolve?

Ask people what they need 

If you already have an audience, surveying your own community can be a powerful way to generate and validate ideas. Polysleep uses this approach to gather feedback on new products, positioning, and product-market fit.

“When we launched our new product, the Aura, we were hesitant between three names,” Jeremiah says. So the Polysleep team asked its followers for input through a simple survey.

The tactic worked. Not only did it help the company land on a name, it also shaped how Jeremiah approached decision-making going forward.

“We started using that data to make business decisions driven by … real people, consumers in the market,” Jeremiah says.

Surveys are just one way to validate ideas early. 

You could also test concepts through: 

• Customer interviews
• Email polls
• Waitlists
• Preorder campaigns
• Lightweight landing pages

These signals help reduce guesswork and ensure you’re building something people actually want, before you invest significant time or money.

Investigate the tasks you avoid

Noah advises entrepreneurs to seek inspiration from the things they’re avoiding. 

“I’ve been avoiding hanging up this painting at my house,” says Noah. “It’s literally on the floor, it’s been about a month. And there’s a lot of other things that I’ve been avoiding in the house.”

Noah raises a simple but powerful instinct: what you avoid often reveals an unmet need—a job you’re trying to get done. The jobs-to-be-done framework encourages you to think beyond products and features and focus on the underlying tasks people are trying to complete in their lives.

In Noah’s case, the job isn’t “find a hammer” or “buy wall hooks”—it’s “get the annoying, unfinished home tasks off my to-do list so I feel organized and at ease.” Framing it that way opens the door to business ideas like on-demand home helpers, errand services, or specialized installation support.

This idea has real precedent. For example:

• TaskRabbit built a business around the job “I need someone reliable to do the chores I don’t want to do,” connecting people with local help for everything from furniture assembly to home repairs.
• Warby Parker tackled the job “I want stylish glasses without the hassle and high price of traditional retail” by offering affordable eyewear with home try-on kits and a streamlined online experience.
  

When you look at the job customers need done and the friction they still face, new business ideas become easier to see.

Look for accessibility gaps

Accessibility gaps often reveal overlooked business opportunities. When products or experiences aren’t designed for people with different physical abilities, languages, ages, or levels of tech literacy, frustration follows.

Many successful brands started by solving these kinds of problems. OXO, for example, built its reputation on kitchen tools designed for people with limited grip strength. Instead of serving a small audience, the design made the tools more comfortable and usable for a wide range of customers.

Similarly, three sisters launched a family business idea after Kerry Mellin improvised a fix to grip a broom handle while recovering from a thumb injury. After collaborating, Kerry and her sisters created and patented a tool called EazyHold. 

They opened a Shopify shop and today they distribute it in more than 15,000 care facilities and schools, with 30 distributors around the world. It helps anyone with temporary or permanent grip strength issues from injuries, arthritis, or neuromuscular conditions.

In ecommerce, gaps also show up online. Stores that understand web accessibility simplify navigation, offer clearer product descriptions, include multiple languages, or design for mobile-first shoppers. In many cases, they win customers who feel ignored elsewhere.

Even small improvements, like larger text, clearer sizing guides, or plain-language checkout flows, can make a big difference in user experience (UX).

How to evaluate business ideas

Coming up with ideas is only the first step. Before you invest time or money, it’s worth pressure-testing each idea to see whether it’s realistic, in demand, and financially sound. These four checks help you do that quickly and confidently.

Internal feasibility check

Start by looking inward with a quick feasibility analysis to assess whether you have the time, skills, and resources to execute the idea. 

Ask yourself whether you’re actually positioned to execute this idea.

Consider:

• Skills. Do you already have the expertise, or can you realistically learn what’s needed?
• Time. Can you work on this consistently alongside other commitments?
• Resources. Do you have access to suppliers, tools, or partners that would make this easier?

You don’t need everything figured out upfront, but you should be honest about your constraints. An idea that fits your current situation is more likely to get off the ground than one that requires everything to be perfect first.

Market demand analysis

Next, validate whether people actually want what you’re thinking of selling. 

Look for signals like:

• People searching for solutions online
• Existing products selling well in the category
• Conversations happening in reviews, forums, or social media comments
  
  

You can also test a business idea and demand directly. Share a concept with your audience, launch a waitlist, or create a simple landing page to gauge interest. Early market validation helps confirm real demand before you commit to a full launch.

The goal is to confirm you’re solving a real problem instead of one that sounds good in theory.

Competition assessment

Competition isn’t a bad sign. In fact, it often confirms demand. What matters is understanding how you’ll stand out.

Ask yourself:

• Who are the main competitors?
• What do they do well?
• Where do customers seem frustrated or underserved?

Differentiation can come from pricing, quality, branding, speed, customer experience, or a specific niche market focus. You don’t need to reinvent the category. But you do need a clear reason someone would choose you.

Read: How To Use Competitive Positioning to Expand Market Share (2026)

Financial viability review

Finally, make sure the numbers work.

Estimate:

• How much it costs to create or source the product
• Ongoing expenses like marketing, shipping, and platform fees
• How much you can realistically charge
  

Then ask a simple question: Does this leave room for profit? 

If profit margins are too thin, you may need to adjust pricing strategies, costs, or your business model before moving forward.

Taking the time to follow a business idea evaluation process helps you decide which ideas are worth pursuing before you invest time or money.

Tips for brainstorming business ideas

• Be your own customer
• Keep an open mind
• Just get started

Here are a few tips to get you started in the brainstorming process:

Be your own customer

For Hatch founder Ariane Goldman, her first pregnancy—and the lack of stylish maternity clothes available—was the inspiration for her business.

“It just dawned on me that if I was looking for a solution or even a brand that could be my friend through this unknown next step, that other women must have been looking for the same solutions,” Ariane told Shopify Masters.

“My journey has been about, ’What do I need? And if it’s not out there, how do I fulfill that need?” Ariane says. “In speaking to my needs, I was able to create a brand that was speaking to other women like me.”

Being able to tap into the customer’s point of view will serve you beyond the brainstorming stage and into the brand-building phase of starting a business.

Keep an open mind

Brainstorming works best when you give yourself permission to explore ideas openly and without judgment.

“You have to open yourself up,” says Ariane. “Allow the creativity and the evolution of areas and categories and relationships to impact the brand and be open-minded, because there’s no business plan that you’re going to start on day one that’s going to be followed through exactly.”

That mindset matters even more when brainstorming with others. Setting a positive, judgment-free tone encourages more participation and better ideas. When people feel safe sharing unfinished or unconventional thoughts, creativity tends to flow more freely, and unexpected connections surface.

In the brainstorming phase, write everything down, and keep your ideas organized so you can return to them later. Let your business idea evolve as you build, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself revisiting an earlier idea with fresh perspective or new insight.

Tip: How to Create a Lean Business Plan

Just get started

Instead of spending months—or years—researching your idea, Noah Kagen suggests starting small and getting fast feedback. Call a friend. Pitch the idea. Ask them to preorder your product.

“Get them to preorder your [product], and find out very quickly if it’s a business you actually want to pursue,” he says.

That scrappy approach worked for Gourmet Délice, cofounder of the à la carte artist management service BonSound.

“We didn’t think much about the future when we started,” Gourmet says. “It was just like, ’We need something now.’”

Many solopreneurs and entrepreneurs figure things out as they go. “Start where you are and just advance,” he adds.

At this stage, speed matters more than polish. Avoid spending time on names, logos, or visual identity before you’ve confirmed real demand. Those decisions are easier (and cheaper) to change later, once you know customers actually want what you’re offering.