The best startup idea is hiding in your kitchen.
Your problem is your startup
I used to pick a technology (like AI) and then search for people who might need it.
Some people search through market reports, trends, and pitch decks.
I did that too. But it never gave me a real problem to solve.
Then I learned something simple:
The best startup idea is to solve your own problem.
Every startup is built around a problem. But most founders don’t feel the problem. They study it from the outside.
When you are the user, everything is different. You don’t guess. You feel!
My Real Problem
In my case, the problem was how to store big, ugly carton boxes before taking them to the recycling station.
I live in the Netherlands, where space is limited and valuable. I started collecting cartons and packaging boxes in the corner of my kitchen. After just one week, the pile became large, messy, and ugly. Caton box takes a lot of space. Plastic had the same problem. And every time I looked at that corner, the problem was there, waiting.
So I tried to fix it.
First, I cut the cardboard into smaller pieces. That made the kitchen dirty and wasted time and energy. Then I thought about building a small cutting machine. After days of thinking about the machine, I asked myself:
Why not use a paper shredder?
I searched for one. The price range of 60 to 100 euros was fine for me. But later I realized these machines are designed for paper, not cardboard. To shred cardboard, I needed a more powerful machine, bulky, noisy, and expensive. Not something you want in a small, clean kitchen.
Why it Works Best
At that point, I clearly understood the real value of being the first user.
I knew:
- How often I face the problem
- How much it bothers me
- How much money I am willing to spend
- What solutions I already tried
- What failed
- And what my perfect solution looks like
For me, the ideal product is clear:
A thin, quiet machine that accepts large cardboard without cutting first. Beautiful, tidy, black and white, built for a Dutch kitchen…
This level of detail is hard to get from random users. When you talk to others, you hear mixed opinions, half truths, and a lot of noise. When the problem is yours, the signal is pure.
So what I learned is simple:
Stop looking for people to fit your idea.
Solve your own problem instead.
That is where the best startup ideas come from.