If I Started A Business in 2026, I'd Do This

TL;DR

Start by identifying a Person + Problem before any product, using a diverge-converge-emerge framework to find a profitable niche.

Key Points

• 1.The Holy Trinity: Every business needs three elements — a Person (who pays), a Problem (painful enough to spend money on), and a Product/Service (that solves it). Most beginners wrongly start with the product.
• 2.Diverge first: Brainstorm craft skills (things you're paid for or known for), passions, and skills you want to learn. Quantity over quality — aim for 20+ raw ideas before filtering anything.
• 3.Niche = Person + Problem: Identify specific real people you know by name as potential first clients. The author's first paid job at age 13 was building a website for a friend's stepdad for £30.
• 4.Converge using 3 questions: Rate each niche idea Red/Yellow/Green on: Do I *like* working with these people? Can I *actually help* them? Will they *pay* (ideally $2,000+)?
• 5.Target the premium 9%, not the mass market: Competing on price against established players is "hard mode." Premium buyers pay for quality; luxury buyers pay for status. Beginners should aim for premium.
• 6.Same niche, radically different pricing: The author charged £50–£110 for med school prep in 2012; entrepreneurs targeting wealthy Chinese parents now charge $5,000–$15,000 for the identical service.
• 7.Converge with journaling prompts: The "2-year test" (can I do this for 2–3 years?), "no-fail scenario" (what would you pick if success was guaranteed?), and "fear check" (what scares you slightly?) help surface your gold, silver, and bronze niche.