I share 17 practical methods for generating viable startup ideas in the AI era. The strategies focus on identifying pain points, tedious workflows, and manual processes that could be automated or improved with AI. These techniques can help both aspiring entrepreneurs seeking new ventures and established startup founders looking to expand their product offerings.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:48 – Method 1: Using ChatGPT to identify tedious workflows
06:08 – Method 2: Analyzing your ChatGPT history
09:11 – Method 3: Searching Reddit for tool requests
12:00 – Methods 4-7: Finding friction points and using Idea Browser
15:08 – Methods 8-11: Exploring niche groups and software review sites
19:13 – Methods 12-15: Learning from agency owners and job titles
24:06 – Methods 16-17: Finding opportunities in low-rated but high-usage plugins
Key Points:
• Use ChatGPT to identify tedious workflows in specific professions that AI could automate
• Analyze your own ChatGPT history to find repeated prompts that could become products
• Search online platforms (Reddit, Facebook, Discord) for people asking about tools that don’t exist
• Examine where you copy/paste between tools as these friction points represent startup opportunities
• Browse service marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr to find manual tasks ripe for AI automation
1) Use ChatGPT to find tedious workflows
The prompt that WORKS:
"Give me 10 tedious workflows that a [JOB TITLE] does that AI could automate"
Pain = opportunity = CASH
Pro tip: Ask ChatGPT which workflow is MOST painful and why, then build your MVP around solving it!
2) Scroll your own ChatGPT history
If you’re repeating the same prompt weekly, that’s a product hiding in plain sight!
Example: If you constantly ask AI to "make my writing clearer" – there’s your SaaS idea.
The unbundling of ChatGPT into vertical-specific tools is happening NOW.
3) Google search hack that finds GOLD
Type: site:reddit.com "is there a tool" [YOUR NICHE]
This reveals people LITERALLY begging for tools that don’t exist yet.
These are potential customers telling you exactly what they want to pay for. Pure market research for FREE.
4) Audit where you copy & paste between tools
That friction point? It’s a startup waiting to happen.
If you’re copying emails into a CRM manually, others are too.
The most painful workflows are often the most profitable to solve!
5) Browse Upwork & Fiverr for repeated AI tasks
Look for gigs where people are:
• Paying good money
• For manual work
• That could be automated
If multiple clients want it done manually, it’s RIPE for disruption with an AI-powered product.
6) Join Discord/Slack groups and search for "does anyone have a tool for…"
These communities are GOLDMINES of unmet needs.
Set up automations to alert you when these phrases appear, then swoop in with your solution!
7) Use https://www.ideabrowser.com
Greg built this FREE tool that finds startup ideas from:
• Facebook groups
• Subreddits
• Google trends
It gives you a new idea DAILY with feasibility analysis and even pricing strategy. Why aren’t you using this yet?!
8) Niche Facebook groups = untapped opportunity
Look for workflow hacking in the comments.
When people are cobbling together manual solutions, that’s your cue to build the tool they’re creating by hand.
Don’t sleep on FB – still a BILLION monthly users with problems to solve!
9) Talk to business owners about their Excel workflows
Seriously. Just ask:
"What Excel tasks do you hate doing?"
"Which spreadsheets eat up your time?"
Pay them $50-100 for their insights if needed.
Their pain points = your AI agent waiting to be built.
10) Find multi-step tutorials using 8+ tools
When someone needs EIGHT different tools to accomplish one task…
That’s your cue to build the one-click version.
People will PAY for products that make complex workflows simple and FAST.
Notable Quotes:
"If you’re coming up with a startup idea that helps solve someone’s pain, you will be able to make money from it."
"What I’m saying, the ideas I like to work on are the ideas that I have odds stacked in my favor."
The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends – https://www.ideabrowser.com
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future – from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn ‘what if’ into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
BoringMarketing — Vibe Marketing for Sale: http://boringmarketing.com/
Startup Empire – a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.skool.com/startupempire/about
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
