A Practical Way to Spark Your Next Product Idea: Start with Consulting

If you're someone who really wants to build your own company but can't pin down that breakthrough product idea just yet, starting as a consulting business could be the perfect first step.

Why Consulting Can Lead to Product Ideas

When you offer consulting services, clients bring their ideas to you. You spend a lot of time building or transforming these ideas into actual products for them. In the process, you're bound to notice common problems across different industries and projects. This is where product opportunities often reveal themselves.

One recurring example is developer productivity or inefficiencies in the software development life cycle (SDLC). If you're building software for multiple clients, chances are you'll see patterns in how they develop, deploy, and maintain their systems. Before you know it, a promising new product idea might emerge from these common challenges.

Real-World Examples

A perfect case is Basecamp, created by 37signals. They started in 1999 as a web design consulting agency. After working on client projects for four years, they realized they needed a better way to manage everything. That realization turned into an internal tool, which evolved into the product we know as Basecamp.

Another company that comes to mind is Hasura. The founding team in Bangalore, India, initially ran an IT consulting business. Over time, they recognized a common need for making API building more efficient—so they created Hasura, offering a powerful abstraction layer that streamlines development. It's a solution they might never have discovered without working on multiple projects.

My Own Path to Planton Cloud

Planton Cloud follows a similar storyline. I started a consulting company, Leftbin, in January 2020. My projects ranged from building a cryptocurrency exchange for my brother to creating an online betting platform called OneDollar. Working under tight constraints—like a limited budget and juggling a second job—forced me to seek ways to boost developer productivity. I kept looking for ways to eliminate the repeated setup tasks associated with microservices and cloud deployments. That's how Planton Cloud was born. I wouldn't have discovered this approach if I hadn't tackled multiple large projects back-to-back.

The Upside of Consulting First

If you're passionate about launching your own company, starting with consulting work might be the best move. You'll naturally stumble upon product ideas while solving real problems for real clients. Plus, by the time you're ready to develop your product, you'll already have an established system, methodologies, and frameworks in place—making the transition from idea to execution a lot smoother.

Closing Thought

So, if you're looking for that "lightbulb moment" but don't know where to begin, try starting a consulting business. The experiences and insights you gain could lay the perfect foundation for your future product.