You Don’t Need a Unique Idea — You Need One That Pays the Bills
Author
Sean
Date Published
You Don’t Need a Unique Idea — You Need One That Pays the Bills
We’ve romanticized originality. Somewhere between startup culture and hustle Twitter, the myth of the “never-been-done-before” idea became gospel. But here’s the truth: originality is overrated.
A good product idea isn’t the one that’s never been done. It’s the one that gets done well—and keeps the lights on.
The Myth of the “Big New Thing”
We celebrate the exceptions: Google, Airbnb, Uber. But we forget that Google wasn’t the first search engine. Airbnb wasn’t the first place to find a couch. Uber wasn’t the first to offer a ride.
What made them successful wasn’t novelty—it was execution, timing, and relentless refinement of a familiar problem.
What Makes an Idea Good?
A good product idea:
Solves a problem people already have
Targets a group of people already spending money on solutions
Can be built and maintained without blowing all your savings
Doesn’t rely on being “first”
It’s often boring on the surface. A scheduling tool. A calendar. A task manager. A CRM. But boring is good when boring means money.
Do It Differently. Do It Better.
You don’t need to invent the wheel—you just need to roll smoother. That might mean:
Better UX: People will pay to save time or frustration
Better audience fit: A product designed for therapists, not everyone
Better distribution: You know a channel your competitors don’t
Better ethics or transparency: People are tired of being exploited
Better pricing: Offer a free tier that actually delivers value
Examples of Reworked Ideas That Work
Notion: Docs and databases? Already existed. Notion just made them feel good to use.
Linear: Issue tracking? Been around forever. But developers want to use Linear.
Arc Browser: Browsers are old news. But Arc is opinionated and personal.
SavvyCal: Calendly but actually respectful of the recipient.
You’re Not Competing on Ideas. You’re Competing on Care.
Most people copy the idea and stop there. But the magic is in how you do it, who you build it for, and why you give a damn.
Anyone can build a to-do list app. But not everyone builds one that makes a working parent feel more in control of their day.