All it takes is an idea.

One word to describe all the readings from this week.

Inspired.

You could read Guy Kawasaki’s blog and learn how to Change the World.

You can learn what Y Combinator is all about, and find out that they want to help get your idea up and running.

You can create a network of tech rock stars by applying to TechStars.

Yes, we are talking about venture capital and the process of starting up. All of these great online communities, web apps, and the like… started from an idea, coupled with… a box of pizza, and cases of energy drinks. More often than not, a simple sketch can translate into a full fledged social utility as was the case with this one:

Click for the history.

Now I’m not saying that a transformation from idea to product is easy, it most certainly is not. But after this weeks reading, I’m finding that the core ingredients are as follows:

• 1 Tablespoon of Idea Salt (Just a little goes a long way)
• 10 Gallons of Motivation Juice (The more the better)
• 1+ Great Programmer(s)
• 1 Great Leader

Everything else is irrelevant, because from what I’m reading, the rest will follow. Take the time to develop an idea, make it presentable so that it can be understood, and take it one step at a time. More importantly, the key is to fill a known or an unknown need, doing so with finesse, with trust, and with simplicity.

I have a Moleskine waiting to be filled with tons of these little sketches, some pages already filled. If there is an easier way to get going on a start up, these ideas need to be written down, drawn out, and brainstormed amongst like minds.

I have an iPhone to help me look up things anywhere, like, is this domain name registered (www.chriscan.org), the latest developments on my RSS Feed Reader, and more.

A great example of this just happened recently at the Future of Web Apps conference this past weekend. Plenty of ideas were shared including a call-back service for calling companies that have automated call systems and long wait times (no more waiting, just get a call back when a human is ready to talk to)

Sometimes an idea might not be technically feasible at the time, like this call-back service I just mentioned. It may depend on other factors such as the willingness of other companies, groups, and people to participate. Sometimes it may be so far fetched that no one has any experience in tackling that idea. But from Guy Kawasaki’s blog, there is a quote from Steve Wozniak, one of Apple’s co-founder’s that resonates well with this post and it says:

Woz (Apple). “All the best things I did at Apple came from (a) not having money, and (b) not having done it before, ever.”

More importantly these two things give promise to these ideas that I have, and venture capital represents the enabler for these ideas. I am excited and motivated for this fall.