Rethinking how we explore, validate, and grow ideas online
Let me start by saying I know that title sounds clickbait-y. Of course you know how to use Google. But here’s the thing: if you’re running a business or starting something new, searching the internet with intent is an entirely different skill.
This blog post is about learning to use the internet not just as a search tool, but as an ideation engine, a validation laboratory, and a strategic map to grow your business. I was inspired to write this after taking one of my favourite ever online courses: “Internet Pipes” by Steph Smith. It completely reframed how I think about research, trend spotting, and building ideas online.
A Course That Changed How I Think About Search
Steph Smith is one of those tech-savvy young millennial/(maybe even GenZ! I dunno I’m too old to tell) who has had a super interesting career. Steph ran the podcast for Andressen Horowitz investment company A16z. She also built the newsletter for Hubspot called The Hustle to eye wateringly high subscription figures.
Steph developed Internet Pipes as a Notion-hosted, video-supported course with an embedded Discord community. She even used demand-based pricing: early access was cheaper, and prices rose as interest grew. (Yes, I paid around £290. And yes, it was worth it.) Even this method of course creation was stunningly simple and yet highly effective. Chatty recordings of a screen share walking through her well thought out and super granular detailed ideas all in a deceptively simple presentation. Hosting on Vimeo and then embedding in Notion and using a Discord server to encourage organic chat and community building. I am still a member and still check in regularly to the Discord and Notion site.
The course isn’t about basic search tips. It’s about using platforms like Reddit, Amazon, and TikTok as intelligence engines for idea generation, validation, and differentiation. Steph walks through practical ways to mine data, spot trends, and visualise information that others overlook
The Generation Station: Finding Ideas in the Wild
One of the key takeaways from the course is the concept of the “Generation Station” — the place where ideas are born.
Within it, Steph introduces the idea of mining large platforms such as Reddit and Amazon and Google Trends to start to see what people are actually talking about and experimenting with. One key principle here is allowing your imaginiation to wild, even science-fiction levels of thinking. This isn’t about chasing unicorns; it’s about stretching your brain enough that new, workable ideas emerge from unexpected places. Allow the ridiculous to become the possible, even if just for a moment.
To make this process work, keep an ideas log whether it’s a physical notebook, a voice note app, or a Notion board. The point is to capture everything, because you’ll never know which fragment will become the foundation of your next product, service, or campaign.
Clustering & Visualising Trends: The Power of Reddit
Steph shows how Reddit chaotic and noisy as it is can be your best friend. Using visual clustering tools, you can map out subreddits and themes to uncover what people are really talking about. It’s like zooming out from the noise to see the bigger trend galaxies.
Example: I once explored subreddits like r/Crochet and even “Brochet” (crochet for men). That led to an idea for themed crochet kits tailored to niche audiences fantasy novels, sci-fi, subcultures. All from scanning communities and clustering keywords.
Validating Demand: The Red Shoe Effect
Steph also introduces the concept of validation through behavioural data. What are people actually buying, clicking, searching and not just what they say they want?
I’ve seen this first-hand. In a shoe store I once ran, flashy red boots in the window got constant compliments, but people almost always bought plain, practical styles. We called it the “Red Shoe Effect.”
To avoid being seduced by surface-level validation, use tools like:
- Jungle Scout (Amazon research)
- Google Trends & Keyword Planner
- TikTok Creative Center Analytics
- GummySearch (Reddit trend exploration)
- App Store trend analysis
Ask yourself:
- Are people searching for this?
- Are they talking about it?
- Are communities forming?
- Is content being made about it?
- Are products being sold or apps developed in that space?
This kind of research gives you an evidence-based roadmap, not just a hunch.
Standing Out: Differentiation in a Crowded Market
After generating and validating ideas, the next step is differentiation. It’s a myth that saturated markets are dead. The craft and yarn industry, for example, has been around forever, but it’s still full of opportunity. People want new approaches, unique voices, more personalised services.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You need to make the wheel more useful, beautiful, or accessible.
Differentiation could come from:
- Convenience (faster delivery, better onboarding)
- Quality (handcrafted, locally made, ethical)
- Community (forums, Discord, events)
- Format (kits, courses, coaching)
This is especially relevant to small business owners the more niche and aligned your offer is to a real need, the better.
Let AI Help You See What You Already Know
Here’s where things get exciting: AI is your co-pilot in this research.
If you document your research from Reddit screenshots to Amazon trends to your idea log you can load it into tools like Notably, ChatGPT, or a local AI like NotebookLM. Then you can ask it questions like:
- “What trends are common across my knitting kit research?”
- “Which subreddit themes align with sustainable crafts?”
- “What differentiators are emerging from my competitor reviews?”
This is not about asking AI to come up with something magical. It’s about using it as a lens to analyse and refine your own inputs.
How This Fits Into Støtte
This post is part of the Støtte framework because it’s about helping small business owners and solo entrepreneurs get smarter about how they grow. You don’t need a massive marketing budget. You don’t need a viral TikTok. What you need is:
- A process for idea generation
- A method for validating demand
- Tools for visualising data
- A plan for standing out
- A way to systematise insight and decision-making using AI
That’s how we move from Støtte (support) → Dyrke (cultivate) → Blomstre (flourish).
Your Next Steps
- Keep an idea log voice memos, Google Docs, Notion, whatever works.
- Explore Reddit with GummySearch or subreddit search don’t be afraid to go niche.
- Validate demand using Amazon, TikTok Creative Center, and Google Trends.
- Look for differentiation even in the same market, there’s space for your voice.
- Feed your findings into AI tools to identify hidden patterns and make decisions faster.
The internet isn’t just a library it’s a lab. Use it like one.
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