Research a Business Idea
Most business ideas die from lack of research, not lack of effort. This mission teaches you how to use Gemini and ChatGPT to validate a business idea with real market data — in under an hour.
Deliverable: A 1-page business research summary.
Define your idea in one clear sentence
Who are you helping, what problem are you solving, and how are you different? If you can't fit it in one sentence, the idea is still too vague to research.
- Use the format: I help [who] do [what] by [how]
- Write down 2-3 versions and pick the clearest one
- If you're stuck, describe the problem before the solution
Research the market with Gemini
How big is the market? Who are the main competitors? What are people already paying for? Gemini can search live, so use it to pull real, current information.
Prompt to use
“I'm considering this business idea: [paste your one-sentence idea]. Search for the current market size, main competitors, and pricing in this space. Tell me if this market is growing, shrinking, or crowded, and name 3 real competitors with what they charge.”
- Ask follow-up questions on any competitor that looks similar to your idea
- Note pricing — it tells you what customers already pay
- If Gemini can't find competitors, that's a signal worth investigating further
Identify your target customer with ChatGPT
Build a specific customer profile — demographics, pain points, where they spend time online. A vague customer means vague marketing later.
Prompt to use
“My business idea is: [paste idea]. Based on this, build a specific customer profile: age range, situation, biggest frustration related to this problem, and where they spend time online (which platforms, communities, or search terms they'd use).”
- Push back if the profile feels too broad — ask ChatGPT to narrow it further
- Write down the exact words this customer might search for
- Compare this profile to people you actually know, if possible
Validate demand with real signals
Find evidence that people are already searching for or spending money on this problem. Opinions don't validate an idea — behavior does.
- Search your target customer's exact phrases on Google, Reddit, or Facebook groups
- Check if competitors have reviews complaining about a gap you could fill
- Look for existing paid products or services solving a similar problem — that's proof people pay
Write a 1-page business summary
Summarize your findings: market size, competition, customer, and your unique angle. This becomes your working document — not a pitch deck, just clarity.
- Include: the problem, your customer, market size, competitors, and your unique angle
- Keep it to one page — this is a working document, not a pitch deck
- End with one clear next step you'll take this week
Mission Complete?
You now have real evidence to decide whether this idea is worth pursuing — not just a gut feeling. Keep this summary and revisit it whenever the idea evolves.