Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, and even Shark Tank-featured moguls like Damon John and Mark Cuban all had the creative ability to see holes in the market where others saw brick walls. Innovation opportunities are hidden in the details of everyday life. The biggest innovations of the modern world, including the technology that made the internet possible, came from completely unrelated applications. Heck, the idea for Velcro came from an engineer’s frustration with burdock burrs sticking to his dog’s fur. Never write off an interesting idea just because you don’t immediately see how it relates to your business. If it’s new and interesting, there’s probably a use for it.
Always be looking for diamonds in the rough. Revisit abandoned projects for ideas that can be repurposed. As Francis Ford Coppola said, “If people aren’t telling you your idea is crazy, then it probably isn’t a very big idea.”