Programme Structure
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Week 1 - Where ideas come from for you specifically
Skills audit, past experience mapping, identifying industries you already understand at a practical level -
Week 2 - Spotting real problems worth solving
Techniques for finding friction in markets, how to tell a genuine problem from a minor inconvenience, building your initial idea list -
Week 3 - Demand testing without a product
Search volume checks, competitor review, basic customer interview structure, pricing signals -
Week 4 - Narrowing and deciding
Ranking your shortlist, identifying your next 30-day action, Q&A and peer feedback on final ideas
What the Course Covers
Most people who want to start a business already have 3 or 4 decent ideas somewhere in their head. The problem is they either dismiss them too fast or get stuck trying to evaluate 12 things at once. This workshop slows that process down in a useful way.
What the sessions cover
Over 4 weeks, we look at where ideas actually come from in practice. That means examining your existing skills and past work experience, spotting friction points in industries you already know, and running simple market-size checks before you invest time in anything. Each session is about 90 minutes, and you get a short assignment between sessions to keep the thinking moving.
The evaluation part
Week 3 is where most people find it valuable. We take your shortlist of 2 to 5 ideas and run each one through a basic demand test. Not a full business plan, just enough to see whether there are people actively looking for a solution, what they currently use instead, and roughly what they might pay. You leave with a ranked list and a clear reason behind each ranking.
Fionnuala Byrne, a participant from Cork, said she came in with 6 vague ideas and left with 1 solid one she actually started testing the following month.
The workshop suits people who are still in employment and exploring options, as well as people who have recently left a job and want to move quickly but carefully. It is not for people who already have a specific idea and need execution support.
Group size and format
Sessions run in groups of 8 to 12 people, online via video call. A smaller group means you get real feedback on your specific ideas, not just general advice. Recordings are available for 14 days after each session.