Ask YC: What do you want?

[sdurkin]

Pg advocates a simple model when deciding what product to offer as a startup: Make something people want.

Since I've decided to target the tech startup world for my first venture, this seemed like a good place to ask a few questions. What do you want? What do you need? What service would add enough value to your startup that you would be willing to pay for it?

I also have a follow up question. I am currently building a peer-to-peer microlending service targeted at startups. I'm doing this because I noticed that many startups get their initial capital from credit card loans. Would this be something that would help you?

[blogimus]

Let us ask you the same question, "What service would add enough value to your startup that you would be willing to pay for it?"

I want to add "a service or product that you can't already find or that doesn't cut it for you and you're looking for something better."

Not to be flip, but if there's a scratch I have that nothing out there is itching, well, there's my next big thing.

[sdurkin → blogimus]

My answer to the same question is "an easy way to get small amounts of funding." So that's the avenue I'm pursuing.

Are you saying that there's no problem you've encountered for which there isn't already an adequate solution? Perhaps I was wrong in assuming that even in an entrepreneurial minded community there must be some problems people can't fix for themselves.

[blogimus → sdurkin]

I guess I'm thinking in my domain, software solutions. Most everything else that I can afford is already out there.

Edit: If there is something I need that is a hindrance (service not existent yet, I'll say) from the outset of my venture, and that hindrance is not part of my solution, I don't go there.

[sdurkin → blogimus]

Not to belabor the point, but what would you use if you could afford it? What do you use that doesn't work well enough or costs too much?

These are the types of questions I'm hoping the intelligent people here might humor me by answering. Perhaps the original question was too simplistic, as I was going for succinctness.

[blogimus → sdurkin]

I don't need micro-lending, but many others might. I've had ideas that could use an effective merchant micro-payment system usable by all, charging tiny amounts of money for individual services, but credit services charge fees currently preclude that, AFAIK.

[lanej0 → blogimus]

I'll second that. All of the low-cost payment processing solutions are so unprofessional looking. It's terrible having a professional looking site, and then having to send a customer off to Paypal or some other ghetto service.

Bonus points for white label.