Getting a Business Idea Off the Ground (The Way I’d Explain It to You)

Alright—pretend we’re sitting on a back porch, coffee in hand, no pressure, no pitch deck. You just said, “I’ve got this business idea… I just don’t know where to start.”

First thing I’m going to tell you?

That feeling is normal. Every business you admire started exactly there—half excitement, half panic, and a whole lot of unanswered questions.

So let’s walk through this the way I would with my oldest friend. Not the internet version. The real version.

Step One: Make the Idea Less Fragile

Right now, your idea probably feels precious. Like if you say it out loud the wrong way, it might fall apart.

Here’s the truth: good ideas survive contact with reality.

Before you worry about logos, websites, or business cards, you need to answer one simple question:

What problem does this actually solve?

Not the poetic version. The practical one.

If you can explain the problem and the solution in one or two sentences—without rambling—you’re already ahead of most people.

Friend test: If I stopped you mid-sentence and said, “Wait, what do you actually do?” could you answer clearly?

That clarity is your foundation.

Step Two: Know Who You’re Really Doing This For

This is where people get tripped up.

You don’t need everyone to want what you’re offering. You need someone specific.

Picture one real person:

• What are they frustrated with?

• What are they trying to fix or improve?

• What would make them say, “Honestly, that would help a lot.”

If you try to build a business for everyone, you’ll struggle to connect with anyone.

Start narrow. You can always grow later.

Step Three: The Unsexy but Necessary Stuff

Okay, now we get into the part nobody posts about on Instagram.

To get your foot in the door, you don’t need perfection—but you do need legitimacy.

Here are the basics:

• A clear name people can remember and spell

• A simple way to explain what you do (seriously, this matters more than branding)

• A professional email (yourname@yourbusiness.com goes a long way)

• A basic online presence so people can confirm you’re real

That last one is huge.

People won’t always say it out loud, but they will Google you.

And if they can’t find you—or what they find is confusing—that door quietly closes.

Step Four: You Don’t Need a Perfect Website—You Need a Clear One

Let me save you months of overthinking.

Your first website doesn’t need to win awards. It needs to answer three questions quickly:

1. What do you do?

2. Who is it for?

3. What should I do next?

That’s it.

A single-page site that does those three things clearly will outperform a flashy site that dances around the point.

This is where businesses either build momentum—or stall.

Clarity builds trust. Trust opens doors.

Step Five: Make It Easy for People to Find You

Here’s something I wish more people understood early:

You can have the best idea in the world, but if people can’t find you, it doesn’t matter.

This is where search, visibility, and word-of-mouth all intersect.

Ask yourself:

• If someone searched for the problem I solve, would I show up?

• If they landed on my site, would they get it immediately?

You don’t need to dominate Google on day one. You just need to exist where your audience is looking.

That’s how first opportunities happen.

Step Six: Start Small, Then Pay Attention

Your first version won’t be perfect. Good.

Launch something real, then listen:

• What questions do people ask?

• What do they misunderstand?

• What do they respond to immediately?

Those answers tell you how to improve faster than any business book.

Momentum comes from movement—not waiting.

One Last Thing (The Part Friends Actually Say)

If you’re waiting to feel “ready,” you’ll be waiting a long time.

Every legitimate business owner you respect figured things out while doing the work.

The goal isn’t to have everything solved.

The goal is to look credible, be clear, and make it easy for the right people to say yes.

That’s how doors open.

And once the first one opens, the rest get easier.

If you want help turning that idea into something real—something people can actually find and understand—that’s exactly the kind of thing That Guy Sketch helps with.

No pressure. Just clarity, strategy, and forward motion.

Now tell me—what’s the idea?