My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Mathematical Induction Business Philosophy
A business approach based on mathematical induction: if you can start (n=1) and always take the next step (n+1), you'll succeed infinitely. Focus on ability to iterate rather than perfect initial strategy.
How It Works
Instead of extensive upfront research and planning, start with personal problems you can solve yourself. Build something basic that works for you, then iterate based on real feedback. Success comes from number of iterations, not quality of first attempt.
Components
Find personal problem that bothers you
Build minimal solution for yourself
Share with similar people
Iterate based on feedback
Keep iterating without attachment to original vision
Trust that iterations compound
When to Use
When building new products or entering uncertain markets where customer needs aren't well understood. Especially effective for software products with low iteration costs.
When Not to Use
In heavily regulated industries with high switching costs, or when building physical products with expensive iteration cycles.
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Example
“Dharmesh started blogging for his thesis, not to build a business. When it worked, he iterated into teaching others, then building tools, then creating HubSpot. Each step built on the previous success without a master plan.”