--- name: Business Brainstorm slug: business-brainstorm category: AI Engineering description: Business Brainstorm pressure-tests a new business, product, or side project against a structured founder filter. It scores the idea, checks naming and research signals, and returns a build, sleep on it, or pass verdict. github: "https://github.com/coreyhaines31/makerskills/tree/main/skills/business-brainstorm" stars: 680 forks: 55 install: "npx degit https://github.com/coreyhaines31/makerskills/tree/main/skills/business-brainstorm ~/.claude/skills/business-brainstorm" installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/business-brainstorm source_path: skills/business-brainstorm/SKILL.md collection_size: 20 category_size: 2451 collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/coreyhaines31/makerskills" added: 2026-08-24T05:16:15.764Z last_synced: 2026-08-24T05:16:15.764Z canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/business-brainstorm" --- # Business Brainstorm Business Brainstorm pressure-tests a new business, product, or side project against a structured founder filter. It scores the idea, checks naming and research signals, and returns a build, sleep on it, or pass verdict. **Install:** ```bash npx degit https://github.com/coreyhaines31/makerskills/tree/main/skills/business-brainstorm ~/.claude/skills/business-brainstorm ``` ## README # /business-brainstorm — Pressure-test a business idea Takes a vague idea, runs it through the user's filter, and outputs a structured viability brief. Composes with `deep-research` (for market) and `/domain` (for naming). ## Step 1 — Capture the idea Get from the user: - The idea in 1–2 sentences (the *what*) - The reason it's on their mind (the *why now*) - Any starting context (a chat where this came up, a tweet that inspired it, a problem they've hit) If they point at a past chat / doc, load it first. Memory has `project_*.md` files for in-flight projects — check there before assuming the idea is brand-new. If the idea is too vague to score, ask 1–2 clarifying questions and stop. Don't pad the brief with assumptions. ## Step 2 — Load the framework + personal overlay Read `references/framework.md` — the user's filter. Apply each dimension in order. Also try to load `${MAKERSKILLS_CONFIG:-$HOME/.config/makerskills}/business-brainstorm/portfolio.local.md` if it exists — this is where the user lists their real in-flight businesses, properties, audiences, and partners. When present, use it for the "portfolio fit," "distribution," and "opportunity cost" dimensions instead of asking the user to name each one. ## Step 3 — Score each dimension For each of the 9 dimensions in `framework.md`, give a 1-line take + a verdict (✅ strong / 🟡 OK / ❌ weak / ❓ unknown — needs research). Don't BS the unknowns. Mark them ❓ and route to deep-research in Step 4. ## Step 4 — Trigger research where needed (optional) If 2+ dimensions are ❓ unknown, offer the user: *"Want me to run `/deep-research` on [topic] before scoring?"* Useful research targets: - Market size / who pays signal → `/last30days ` + `WebSearch` - Competitive landscape → search for "alternatives to X", "X vs Y" pages - ICP signal → forums / Reddit / X where the audience hangs out - Pricing benchmarks → look at competitor pricing pages If the user says yes, run `Skill({skill: "deep-research", args: ""})` and incorporate the brief. ## Step 5 — Check the .com Always run `/domain` on the working name(s). A perfect idea with a $50k domain is a worse idea than a B+ idea with a free .com. If naming is wide open, brainstorm 5–10 candidate names through `/domain` and report which are available. ## Step 6 — Output the brief Use this template: ```markdown # Business brainstorm: **Date:** **Idea:** <1–2 sentences> **Why now:** <1 sentence> ## Verdict **Build** / **Sleep on it** / **Pass** / **Steal an angle for [existing property]** <2–3 sentence rationale> ## Score | Dimension | Take | Verdict | |---|---|---| | 1. Problem | … | ✅ | | 2. Audience | … | 🟡 | | 3. Wedge | … | ❓ | | 4. Monetization | … | ✅ | | 5. Moat | … | ❌ | | 6. Portfolio fit | … | ✅ | | 7. Distribution | … | ✅ | | 8. Energy fit | … | 🟡 | | 9. Opportunity cost | … | ❌ | ## Domain - .com — available / taken / aftermarket $ - (other candidates if relevant) ## Research applied - ## Open questions - ## If you build it (sketch) - **First 100 customers:** - **Wedge offer:** - **Price:** - **MVP scope:** <1–3 features> ## If you don't build it - **Angle to steal for existing properties:** - Property A: … - Property B: … - Property C: … - (etc., only where relevant) ``` ## Step 7 — Archive Archives live in `${MAKERSKILLS_CONFIG:-$HOME/.config/makerskills}/business-brainstorm/archive/` (create the directory if missing). Never write archives inside the skill's own folder — skill installs and upgrades re-sync from source and wipe anything saved there. **Migration:** if this skill's folder contains an old `references/ideas-archive/` with user entries, move those files into the archive directory first. Write to `/-.md`. Append to `/INDEX.md` (create if missing): ```markdown - 2026-06-16 — [](./.md) — **** — ``` ## Step 8 — Surface Show the brief in chat. Tell the user the archive path. Offer: - *"Want to push to Notion as a positioning canvas?"* - *"Want me to scaffold a project repo / landing page?"* (if verdict = Build) - *"Want me to revisit in 30 days?"* (if verdict = Sleep on it) ## Composes with - `deep-research` — for market validation when dimensions are ❓ - `/domain` — for .com availability and naming brainstorm - `/last30days` — for audience/market recency signal (via deep-research) - Memory (`project_*.md`) — for portfolio context (don't pitch an idea that already exists) ## Notes on quality - **Nine dimensions, not one hero metric.** Ideas fail because one dimension quietly rots even when the rest score high. Force each dimension to be scored — no "we'll figure that out later" cop-outs. - **Verdict discipline: Ship / Sleep on it / Kill.** Not "maybe." Ambiguity in the verdict compounds into ambiguity in the commit; the brief exists to prevent that. - **Portfolio-context check is non-negotiable.** Before writing, grep memory + wiki for existing property overlap. If the new idea is 80% one of your existing properties, propose extending the existing property instead of forking a new one — 4x cheaper to compound. - **Archive every brief, even Kills.** Killed ideas resurface — the brief with rationale prevents re-litigating. The archive dir + INDEX.md makes revisit trivial. - **"Angle to steal" section forces value from Kills.** Even ideas you won't build often have an angle that improves an existing property. Don't skip this section — it's the highest-leverage output of a Kill verdict. - **30-day revisit for "Sleep on it."** Set the calendar reminder. Sleep-on-it ideas that never get revisited become dead weight in the archive; ideas that get revisited resurface with better context.