12 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Small Business, From ‘Billions’ And ‘Ridiculousness’ Star Rob Dyrdek

12 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Small Business, From ‘Billions’ And ‘Ridiculousness’ Star Rob Dyrdek

Startup

12 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Small Business, From 'Billions' And Rob Dyrdek

Don't ask whether your idea is any good. Ask, instead, for advice that helps you answer the right questions.

By Jeff Haden , Contributing editor, Inc.@jeff_haden

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Other than "Can you give me Kirk Hammett's email address?" (um, no), the question I'm most often asked on LinkedIn is, "How can I tell if I have a great idea for a new business?" 

Ideas are easy to evaluate in hindsight. Objective criteria certainly apply, but predicting whether an idea forms the basis for a profitable, lasting business is extremely difficult; assessing a startup's potential also requires a small leap of faith in a founder's persistence, drive, and work ethic.

So how do you know if you have a great idea for a new business? How can you evaluate