Exit Rat Part 2 - From Idea to Reality

From Idea to Reality: Turning a Frustration into a Business

Every successful business starts with an idea. But many people get bogged down thinking they can’t start a business because they haven’t invented something groundbreaking. They assume that without a completely new concept, they’ll never succeed. The truth is, most successful businesses don’t start with revolutionary inventions—they start with a shift in mindset. Instead of trying to think of something entirely new, focus on what frustrates you. What product or service could be improved? What small but significant change would make a big difference in people's lives?

A local example springs to mind, which will resonate with our readers. The founder, Linden Kitson, was working with us as a mentor at the time he founded the business, Denson Automotive. He started converting campervans in what was an already overcrowded market. However, he spotted a gap. Most companies were taking an expensive, low mileage van and fitting it out with high spec gear, resulting in a high priced van. However, many people couldn’t stretch their budgets to a £70k price tag, and Linden realised that he could take vehicles with a higher mileage and produce amazing-looking campers within a much more affordable budget of around £25-45k. The company has gone from strength to strength. 

In the same way, Glawning was born by looking at the market and realising there was a gap. 

I wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel; I was simply fed up with the awning options available for campervans. They were grey and uninspiring and didn’t fit the vision of comfort and style I had in mind. Rather than accepting what was on the market, I decided to create my own solution.

The Experimental Phase

I knew about bell tents and tipis and the fact you could use woodburners in them. They weren’t all the rage back then, like they are now, but my idea started with a bell tent I found on eBay. I set it up in my parent's garden and began experimenting—pinning sheets to it, cutting, adjusting, and reshaping until I had a rough concept of what I wanted. To outsiders (including my family), it looked like I had lost the plot. But I had a vision and was determined to see it through.

Once I had a solid concept, I translated my makeshift design into drawings and approached a manufacturer in the north of England. They turned my sketches into a prototype, which I tested rigorously, making tweaks along the way. After refining the design, I took it to a campervan show, eager to see how people would react. 

Testing the Market

That first show was a turning point. We secured our first order on the spot, which was all the validation I needed to take the next step. We placed an initial order of ten units with the manufacturer, and they sold out quickly. The demand was there—people wanted what we were offering. And that was the real beginning of my journey as a retailer.

Innovation Isn’t Always About Invention

Many people think that starting a business means coming up with something groundbreaking—an invention no one has ever seen before. But in reality, most successful businesses are about improving something that already exists. It’s about identifying frustrations and finding ways to eliminate them. What product or service annoys you? How could it be better? Answering those questions could be the foundation of your business idea.

The Side Hustle Approach

Another misconception is that entrepreneurship requires an all-or-nothing leap. It doesn’t. Glawning started as a side hustle while I was still working my solicitor day job. I eased into it, first going part-time before eventually transitioning into full-time self-employment after four years. The key was testing the market first—gauging interest, ensuring there was real demand, and only then making the commitment.

Your Turn

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, wondering if it’s worth pursuing, start small. Experiment, test, and gather feedback. See if there’s a market for what you’re offering before taking the plunge. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—you just need to make something better, easier, or more enjoyable for people. Who knows? That one small frustration could be the spark that leads to your own thriving business.

However, don’t get fixated on making a business out of your biggest passion. Many people assume that turning what they love into a business is the best approach, but that often leads to disappointment. When you turn a passion into a job, the pressure to make money from it can quickly drain the joy out of it. On the other hand, you also don’t want to pick something you have no interest in at all. The sweet spot lies in choosing something that interests you and that you have some knowledge about—but that also meets a clear need in the market. A business should be practical first and exciting second, not the other way around.

In the next post, we’ll dive into the challenges of taking those first sales and scaling up from a small side hustle to a sustainable business. Stay tuned!