Starting a business is exciting but it can also be overwhelming. I’ve spoken to countless people who ask me, “What business should I start?” Yet, when I ask them what problem they want to solve, most of them have no clear answer.
The reality is that over 90% of businesses fail within 5 to 10 years, and one of the biggest reasons is the lack of product–market fit. Too many people dive into business just because it “feels right,” without validating the idea. If you want to build a successful business in today’s world, you need to focus on solving real problems in ways that stand out.
From my experience as a digital marketer, entrepreneur and business trainer, here are four practical ways to discover profitable business ideas in 2025 and beyond.
1. Look for Problems People Complain About
Every business opportunity begins with a problem. If you pay attention, people complain every single day about poor customer service, expensive products, unreliable systems and so much more.
Instead of joining the complaints, train yourself to see opportunity in the problems.
For example, before I founded the Global Institute of Entrepreneurship and Technology, I noticed people struggling with starting businesses, running ads on Facebook and Google and finding funding. I designed solutions around these pain points and that decision built my business.
Tip: Wherever you see frustration whether in transportation, telecommunications or everyday services ask yourself: “What can I do to solve this?”
2. Study the History of Successful Businesses
History is full of lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs. Every business we admire today was once created to solve a specific problem.
- Before Google, people had no easy way to search the internet.
- Before YouTube (2005), people had no free platform to learn from videos.
- Before the telephone, communication took days or weeks.
If you study how successful businesses started, you’ll realize that innovation is often about spotting gaps that others ignore.
Tip: Research the top 100 most successful companies in the world. Study their origin stories, business models, and the problems they solved. This exercise will spark new ideas for you.
3. Adapt Innovative Ideas from Other Countries
Sometimes the best business ideas are already working somewhere else but not yet in your country or community.
That was my case. I noticed that in other countries, people already had access to structured training for digital marketing and entrepreneurship. But in Ghana, the demand was high and the solutions were limited. I localized that idea, adapted it for my environment and today, my company is one of the leaders in that industry.
Tip: Research industries abroad, spot innovations that haven’t reached your market and tailor them to solve local problems.
4. Read More Books and Expand Your Knowledge
Many people underestimate this, but reading is one of the most powerful ways to discover ideas. Most of my breakthroughs came after years of consuming books on personal development, psychology, business and human behavior.
Reading expands your thinking and allows your subconscious mind to make unique connections. The more you read and research, the more likely it is that one idea will “click” and become your next big business venture.
Tip: Read widely, follow business blogs, check platforms like Quora and forums where people ask questions. Problems + knowledge = opportunities.
Inconclusion,
Business ideas are everywhere but to find profitable ones, you must train your mind to look for problems, study the past, explore innovations abroad and commit to continuous learning.
If you want to go deeper and learn how to move from where you are now to true financial freedom, I recommend grabbing my book:
Achieving Your Greatest Dreams
Author Profile
David Asaana is a Digital Marketer, Author and Entrepreneur with over five years of experience. He has worked with 4,000+ clients across Ghana, the USA, the UK, and beyond. His YouTube channel where he shares step-by-step tutorials on digital marketing and business growth has reached more than 1.9 million views.
