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The [Founder’'s Question] section introduces practical concerns of entrepreneurs and answers to those questions based on actual entrepreneurial coaching data.
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We are a prospective startup team preparing to launch a new business. We conducted research to understand what each team member thinks the main problem is.
As a result, we decided to focus on solving ‘the meal problems’ of students living alone. However, we are having difficulty defining a more precise direction.
"I would appreciate any advice on this matter."
"The meal problems of students living alone can be divided into several categories. Addressing these issues all at once is a vast challenge due to their diverse causes, such as lack of time, lack of cooking skills, and cost burdens. As a startup just beginning, it might be too challenging to tackle all these issues simultaneously."
"It's crucial to pinpoint the most relatable problem based on your team's research, whether it is lack of time, cooking skills, or cost burdens. For instance, investigate the most commonly used ingredients or the usual mealtime habits of these students. This will help you define the problem more precisely and develop a targeted solution."
"Identify the root causes of having home meals difficult and determine which issues are the most urgent and important to address. Consider which problems your team has the capacity to solve. Once you have identified the root causes, create a prototype solution to see if it effectively addresses the issue you aim to solve."
When defining a problem, it is crucial for entrepreneurs to incorporate their personal experiences and perspectives. This helps in better understanding the customer's standpoint and providing genuine solutions.
In the early stages of a startup, accurately defining the problem is key to success. You need to delve deeper into the meal problems faced by students living alone and the root causes of those problems.
As expert advice, Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator, said, 'Find problems and spend time solving them.'
One of the most common mistakes startups make is trying to solve problems that no one actually has. I made this mistake myself. In 1995, I started a company to move art galleries online, but the galleries had no interest in being online. The reason I wasted six months on this foolish idea was because I didn't pay attention to the users.
The reason many founders end up creating things no one wants is that they start by thinking of startup ideas. For instance, a social network for pet owners might sound plausible because many people love pets and spend a lot of money on them, but in reality, no one would use it.
The danger of such ideas is that friends around you won't say, "I won't use it," but rather, "I might use it." However, in reality, user feedback will likely reveal that no one uses it. - Paul Graham (How to Get Startup Ideas)
Early-stage founder's business idea: Our team has decided to focus on solving the meal problems of students living alone.
Tyson Tastemakers is a company that provides meal kits designed to help busy professionals, including students living alone, easily prepare healthy meals.
The company offers a set of ingredients and recipes, addressing issues like lack of time and cooking skills. By reflecting customers' eating habits and preferences in their diverse menu, Tyson Tastemakers achieved significant success, serving as a good example of addressing meal problems for students living alone.
The business was eventually discontinued due to several key factors:
(Reference: Amazon Fresh Tyson Tastemakers)
Blue Apron offers meal kit services in the United States, providing high-quality ingredients and various recipes to make cooking at home easy and enjoyable. They supply fresh ingredients and recipe cards, emphasizing the joy of the cooking process. Blue Apron also focuses on sustainable farming and supply chains, enhancing their reliability.
(Reference: Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results)
Purple Carrot offers plant-based vegan meal kits on a subscription basis. They target customers who value environmental sustainability and health, providing a variety of vegan meal options and simple recipes to showcase the appeal of a vegan diet.
Cookr: A Food Delivery Platform Delivering 'Home-Cooked Meals' in India
This Indian startup offers a service where home chefs deliver healthy, home-cooked meals to customers. Through a mobile app, home chefs can receive orders for their meals, and customers can have these meals delivered to their doorsteps.
As of the first half of 2024, 500 chefs are registered on this platform, and in 2023, Cookr raised approximately INR 8.25 Crores (about $1 million) in seed funding.
(Refer to: This India startup aims to deliver healthy meal from home-chef to your door: Here’s how they did it)
Cookr aims to meet the demand for dining and food delivery among the urban youth while addressing India's food health issues. By offering healthy homemade meals, Cookr targets the needs of this customer base and seeks to alleviate health problems like obesity and diabetes.
Cookr's model connects home chefs with a delivery service to provide customers with healthy meals. This approach can be useful in solving the issue faced by students living alone, who want to eat healthy home-cooked food but can't. Early-stage entrepreneurs can consider this model to provide easy access to healthy meals for students.
Cookr's success stemmed from identifying a high demand for healthy meals and a lack of supply by understanding customers' issues. Early-stage entrepreneurs should conduct detailed market research on the meal problems of students living alone to understand the actual needs.
Cookr provides meals through cooperation with home chefs. Early-stage entrepreneurs can explore building a network of meal providers. For instance, they can collaborate with university dormitories, local restaurants, or health food stores to offer a variety of meals.
Cookr differentiates itself by offering customized healthy diets. Early-stage entrepreneurs should consider providing tailored services based on customers' health conditions and preferences. This approach can increase customer satisfaction and secure loyal customers.
(Refer to: This India startup aims to deliver healthy meal from home-chef to your door: Here’s how they did it)
This checklist will help founders clearly define the problem and find more effective solutions.
Written by Jinny (underdogs)
*Read the case studies of Asian startup founders' starting point and business/growth strategy in detail.
10 Steps to start a business and scale it : Case of NOVI Health (Personalized Healthcare Service)
10 Steps to start a business and scale it : Case of underdogs (Entrepreneurship Education Company)
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