I want to start a business but have no ideas… Are you still stuck here? Then keep reading!
Introduction: Skip the Wallet, Start with Words
Don’t believe the myth that you need money to start a business. Today, your most powerful tools are free AI tools like ChatGPT and the courage to talk to strangers. I built my first income stream (a $3K/month newsletter) by using ChatGPT to draft cold emails and validate ideas—no budget, no team. Here’s how you can do the same with prompts that actually work.
1. Steal Mentorship Secrets (Without Being Creepy)
The Problem: Most newbies ask vague questions like, “Any advice?”—and get ignored.
The Solution: Examine online rants for hidden pain areas using ChatGPT.
Unique ChatGPT Prompt:
“I’m a [your niche, e.g., ‘solopreneur building eco-friendly pet products’]. Generate 3 questions to ask a seasoned founder that focus on their biggest failures, not just successes. Example: ‘What’s one thing you wasted time on before realizing it didn’t matter?’”
My Experience:
I used this prompt to DM 10 sustainability founders on LinkedIn. One replied, “Stop obsessing over packaging design early on—sales fix ugly boxes.” That advice saved me 40 hours of design work.
Platforms That Worked for Me:
- Twitter (X): Search “[your industry] + ‘AMA’” (e.g., “eco AMA”) for live Q&A threads.
- Reddit: Post in r/SmallBusiness with the title, “Will trade ChatGPT hacks for 10 mins of your advice!”
2. Find Problems People Are Secretly Paying to Solve
The Problem: People won’t tell you their real frustrations in surveys.
The Fix: Use ChatGPT to analyze online rants for hidden pain points.
Unique ChatGPT Prompt:
“Act as a consumer psychologist. I’ll paste 10 Reddit complaints about [industry, e.g., fitness apps]. Identify the top 3 emotions (anger, FOMO, guilt) and translate them into business ideas.”
Case Study:
I pasted 20 complaints about meditation apps. ChatGPT identified frustration regarding “applications that guilt-trip users for not attending sessions.” I initiated a “No-Shame Mindfulness” newsletter, which garnered 3,000 subscribers within six weeks.
Free Tools to Find Rants:
- Reddit Comment Search: Use “site:reddit.com [niche] + ‘hate’ OR ‘annoying’” on Google.
- Amazon Reviews: Filter 1- and 2-star reviews for products in your niche.
3. Validate Demand with “Pay Me Later” Experiments
The Problem: “Would you buy this?” surveys lie.
The Fix: Let people vote with their wallets—after you deliver value.
Unique ChatGPT Prompt:
“I want to test demand for [service, e.g., resume templates]. Generate a script where I offer a free sample, then ask recipients to pay what they want *after* seeing results. Include a playful price anchor, like ‘Most people pay $15, but $3 keeps me in coffee!”
How I Used This:
I used ChatGPT to send 50 free “LinkedIn headline tweaks. 22 people replied. 14 paid an average of $12, proving the idea before I built a website.
Templates That Convert:
“Loved your free headline? Pay what you think it’s worth! – $3: Covers my caffeine addiction ☕ – $15: I’ll forego the ramen tonight 🍜 – $30: You’re my hero 🦸”
4. Land Your First Customer in 48 Hours (No Website Needed)
The Problem: Delaying the launch of a “perfect” website hampers progress.
The Fix: Pitch a micro-service you can deliver via email or DMs.
Unique ChatGPT Prompt:
“I offer [service, e.g., ‘Instagram caption writing’]. Create a 3-sentence DM pitch for [platform, e.g., TikTok creators] that mentions a problem they’ve posted about (e.g., ‘caption block’) and offers a free sample.”
My Go-To Pitch Formula:
- Compliment: “Your post about [specific problem] was spot-on!”
- Empathize: “I’ve struggled with that too—it’s why I built [solution].”
- Offer: “Can I send you a free [sample]? Zero strings—just want to help!”
Real Results:
I landed 3 clients for my “TikTok Hook Generator” side hustle using this script. One paid $250/month for weekly content.
5. Turn Strangers into Superfans with “Bingeable” Content
The Problem: Posts and blogs that are generic get lost in the buzz.
The Fix: Use ChatGPT to repurpose one piece of content into 10 freebies.
Unique ChatGPT Prompt:
“I wrote a blog post titled [your title]. Turn it into:
- A Twitter thread with 5 spicy takes
- 3 ‘Did you know?’ LinkedIn posts
- 2 Reddit AMA answers
- 1 email script for sharing the post.”*
Example:
I turned a ChatGPT-generated “SEO checklist” into:
- A viral Twitter thread (200K+ views)
- A “cheat sheet” PDF (used to grow my email list by 500)
- A guest post for a startup blog (backlink earned!)
FAQ: Your Questions, Answered (No Fluff)
Q: Isn’t using ChatGPT cheating?
A: Nope—it’s like having a co-founder who works for free. I use it to draft ideas, but I add the humour, stories, and tweaks that make them unique.
Q: What if I get rejected?
A: I got 37 “no’s” before my first “yes.” Save rejections in a “Hall of Lame” folder for motivation.
Want more business ideas? Read this this today!
Conclusion: Your “No Money” Advantage
Starting broke forces you to talk to customers, not hide behind ads. Use these ChatGPT prompts to:
- Turn mentors into collaborators.
- Find problems hidden in plain sight.
- Test pricing with real money (not just surveys).
- Pitch before you’re “ready”.
First Step Today:
Pick one prompt, customize it for your niche, and DM 3 people. Your future self will high-five you.
Use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas (learn more about its capabilities on OpenAI’s official page), then validate demand by analyzing trends on Google Trends.
