I had several conversations recently where the power of community has come up. More specifically, how a community can help you get your idea going. As we come up with ideas to start in our Studio, we leverage the Atlanta Tech Village community to help support idea generation.

Coming up with the idea

There is something about hearing what other people are building that helps your brain think creatively. More information on problems and markets can help create unique insights you can pair together. You can imagine how something that works in one industry could be applied to another. You can hear a repeated problem from the community you feel you could solve. One of my favorite questions to ask entrepreneurs is what is one business you would go start if you weren’t working on your current startup.

Getting to pivots faster

When you are remote, you can schedule standup meetings at the beginning and/or end of the day. Slack and other messaging tools are also available. But even then, you may go half a day (or longer) without getting an answer or making a decision. Building together in the same space allows you to much more frequently ask questions and solve problems. Any great idea requires multiple pivots, and the faster you can get through those the better. Additionally, there are many serendipitous interactions that can occur in the break room, grabbing coffee, or just bumping into other people. These unplanned interactions can lead to great insights for your idea and path forward.

Supporting you with key needs

Lastly, there are many key things you need in a startup. Customers, new hires, funding, programs, and mentors are just a few of the things that community members can help you with. A key introduction or trusted relationship can be a valuable asset in your entrepreneurial journey.

While starting a business is incredibly hard, building your idea in a community of like minded folks can really accelerate your idea formation, necessary pivots, and ability to scale up faster.