On a recent episode of Jeffrey Zeldman’s The Big Web Show, designers Tash Wong and Tom Harman explain their motivation behind Coastermatic. While attending SVA, they were tasked with an assignment to create a product that would generate $1,000 a month. Out of this arose Coastermatic, a no frills service that allows you to make coasters out of your Instagram photos. Novel, but far from revolutionary. The assignment however, is nothing short of brilliant.
Often we’re caught up in trying to find the next million or billion dollar idea (think Apple, Google, Facebook, etc…) when what we should be looking for are the $1,000 ideas. While $1,000 might hardly cover your rent, it’s a great number because it’s obtainable (the same reason I create to-do lists with a maximum of three items) and well within grasps. Additionally, with $1,000 of recurring income a month, you have more freedom to take on, as well as turn down, work. Best of all, it’s low pressure. If your $1,000 idea fails, so what… simply move onto the next one.
Besides, who knows? With a little luck, that $1,000 idea might turn out to be bigger than you thought.
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