Hi everyone!
I hope this post finds you all well. I’m reaching out to seek some valuable insights and feedback for a startup idea that’s been brewing in my mind. The concept revolves around creating a platform that facilitates collaborative discussions on various topics.
The Idea in a Nutshell:
It should be a hassle-free and immediate communication platform, accessible via a single URL, ideal for short-term collaborative projects. Like slack with no lengthy signups and installation.
My Dilemma:
While I’m passionate about the concept, I coudn’t find any direct competitors out there. There must be reason for that.
Key Questions:
What problems do you currently face in online discussions, and what features or solutions would enhance your experience?
What frustrations do you encounter in existing discussion platforms?
Are there specific features you wish were available in a discussion-focused platform?
How do you envision the ideal collaborative discussion space?
Your Feedback Matters:
I genuinely appreciate any thoughts, suggestions, or even constructive criticism you can offer. It’s the collective wisdom of communities like this that often leads to refining and perfecting startup ideas.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your insights.
Cheers!
“I couldn’t find any direct competitors out there.” Not sure what criteria you are thinking about to qualify a direct competitor, but I think there are lots of competitors. Everything from txt message threads on my phone, to Slack, to Zoom, to Teams, and more. There’s project management tools such as Asana that do more than just messaging and communication, but it’s integrated with files, links, task assignments, etc.
It might be helpful if you think of these tools along a continuum. Let me explain. I once had a cofounder several years ago who really didn’t “get” Twitter. I mapped out a continuum based on length of content, how researched the content was, and how long it took. On the far left I put books - long content, highly researched, takes time to write a book. Then to the right, magazines, newspapers, blog posts, Facebook posts, and finally at the far right Twitter - 140 characters, often not researched, can make a post in a minute or less. I explained that Twitter was filling a gap at the far right of the spectrum where people wanted to post short and fast. This was a lightbulb moment for my cofounder as he realized the role Twitter was filling.
So now think about the relevant variables to your idea and look for a continuum, and if there is a gap you can fill in that continuum. Perhaps there’s a need for an “always on” group of people you want to ping with an occasional quick question? Perhaps one end of the continuum has tools that are integrated with project management and the other end does not? Perhaps one end of the continuum is for ongoing discussions that might last days/weeks/months, and the other end short life discussions not unlike SnapChat. Try and determine your relevant variables and the gap. From that, you will be able to garner better feedback, improve your market messaging, etc.
For me, I find that collaborative discussions with a handful of people are often disappointing. With one or two people contributing quality ideas, a couple people with some but limited ideas, and a couple people who contribute little. Not sure how to make that a feature for you, but finding matches with relevant, quality contributors would be nice.
Wow, many thanks for such a lengthy reply! Some in-depth insights. The approach with continuum is something I never heard of. So I’m off for R&D endeavors.
I have used this before for something kind of like this with small groups.
Yo! Thanks a stack man, you nailed it! Very similar thing for sure. Let me play with it for some more insights!