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Dalton + MichaelDalton + Michael

What to do if you are struggling to find a unique startup idea #startups #podcast

Michael on how to pursue startups when you struggle to generate ideas.

MichaelhostDaltonhost
Mar 23, 20261mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

How to pursue startups when you struggle to generate ideas

  1. Not everyone is naturally suited to be the person who originates startup ideas, even in an exciting tech environment.
  2. If you strongly struggle with generating unique ideas, it is perfectly valid to work at an existing company and still participate in building meaningful products.
  3. A practical alternative is partnering with someone who is strong at ideation while you contribute through execution, operations, or other strengths.
  4. The conversation reframes startup involvement as a spectrum of roles, not a single founder-archetype requirement.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

You don’t have to be the “idea person” to belong in startups.

They emphasize that startup participation isn’t limited to those who invent the concept; many valuable contributors join after the core idea exists.

Choosing a job over founding can be a healthy, respectable path.

If ideation is a persistent blocker, working somewhere else still lets you build, learn, and be part of innovative efforts without forcing a founder role.

Find complementary partners rather than forcing solo ideation.

They suggest pairing with someone “weird” (strong at unconventional ideas) while you focus on the areas where you add the most value.

Society (and companies) need diverse roles, not one personality type.

Dalton notes that if everyone tried to operate like an eccentric idea-generator, things wouldn’t function well—teams require different temperaments and skills.

Self-awareness about your strengths can guide your startup strategy.

Michael shares he wouldn’t have contributed to certain ideation (“camera on Justin’s head”), illustrating that recognizing limits can lead to better role selection.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Not everyone is cut out to be the person coming up with the idea.

— Michael

If you really, really, really struggle to come up with unique ideas—it's totally okay to go work somewhere.

— Dalton

Not everyone has to be like a weird shaman that comes up with strange ideas.

— Dalton

Maybe you should work with someone who's weird. And they should come up with the idea.

— Michael

Everyone interested in startups doesn't have to be the person who comes up with the idea.

— Michael

Founder fit and self-assessmentPressure to have “unique” ideasWorking at an existing companyCo-founding with an idea-generatorDivision of labor in startupsNormalizing non-visionary rolesExecution vs ideation strengths

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