Page 49 - The $100 Startup_ Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love

photographers competing for portrait work, all of whom were very closed
about sharing any trade secrets. I let go of fear and embraced the concept of
helping others (so I could have “plenty of work”!) and decided to start
teaching classes on photography in my basement. One family skeptic
cautioned me that I would be “training my competition.” Thankfully,
making my business about helping others has proved itself over and over.

We’ll return to Brooke’s theme several times throughout the book. I call it the
freely receive, freely give approach. When all else fails, ask yourself how you
can help people more.
What do people really, really want? At the end of the day, they want to be
happy, and businesses that help their customers be happy are well-positioned to
succeed. The V6 Ranch creates modern cowboys. Kelly’s yoga practice helps
busy executives prepare for their day in peace. The restaurant we went to at the
end of a stressful week—when it’s not making its customers pop back into the
kitchen—helps its patrons relax and decompress over a glass of wine and great
service.
Conversations with the group returned to this theme many times in different
ways. The common theme was to figure out what people want and then find a
way to give it to them. This is the road map to a successful, profitable business.
As you build your escape plan, keep your eyes on the prize: creating real value
by giving people what they really want.

KEY POINTS
Value means “helping people.” Our unexpected entrepreneurs discovered

that when they focused on providing value above all else, their
businesses were successful.
Give people what they really want, not just what you think they should
have. Give them the fish!
The more you can market a core benefit instead of a list of features, the
easier it will be to profit from your idea. Core benefits usually relate to
emotional needs more than physical needs.
Most people want more of some things (money, love, attention) and less of
other things (stress, anxiety, debt). Always focus on what you can add or
take away to improve someone’s life … and then prepare to get paid.