The greatest thing about my job is to witness the passion and energy of every new start-up entrepreneur when they give us the opportunity to create (design) their brand and to help them grow their business into a forest of success through effective and inspired marketing.

Having said this, it is sometimes hard to tell these new start-ups to go and refine their business idea as it seems that they try and reinvent the wheel.

I see it all the time when we analyse the competition of some of our clients.

New fly by night companies, copying the business idea that was refined and mastered over the years and then try and deliver the same service under a different name, but doing it badly, coming and going, wasting time and losing money or potential.

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.”

Steve Jobs

Reading this quote again, I have realised that businesses need to understand this fine line between creativity and reinventing the wheel. There are opportunities right in front of them to start something new, even similar, without reinventing the wheel, but connecting the essential things that can creatively position their product or service in the market..

It is inevitable that we need to grow the economy, and that the key to this outcome is to work together, rather than splitting focus and wasting time and resources.

Here are some key indicators you can use to go from reinventing the wheel to starting a creative business idea.

1. Be confident identifying your strengths.

What is your greatest asset? What is your strongest skill set?

Identify this first and then use it to simplify your business idea so that whatever you are going to change, it will strongly depend on your best skills set. Confidence is key!

2. Do proper market research and analyse your competition.

What is your competitors missing that you can do better, referring to your strong skill set? What are they doing great that is your weakness? Now again refine your business idea. Connect your possible client’s needs to your strengths. That is the opportunity! Go refine this opportunity through your product or service offering. Now, you can brand your business!

3. Connect with your competition.

If you are a start-up, you will not be an immediate threat to the established competition. If you can offer a unique skill and angle that they do not offer in their product or service offering, but can change the client experience – that is where creativity is born. Collaboration or partnering in service offering can give you easier access to the market and grow the opportunity for both businesses without competing, wating resources, but rather complimenting the product or service in the market.

The start of the economy (before money was used as currency) was all about trade and creativity. Trading skills for products or products for products. Engaging with each other to fulfil in society’s needs.

Everyone was valued. Everyone was essential. The economy has grown from nothing to something. This is still relevant and crucial. It all depended on connecting different skills and opportunity to grow and fulfil needs.

Be fearless, know your worth, connect your strengths and click creativity, building your unique business without reinventing the wheel.

Forever inspired!

JJ van Niekerk

Forever Friday: Creative Director