We are in the mega technological era.

From personal phones and computers to complicated systems that run our infrastructure, we are a highly high-tech world.

We have created machines that can calculate, organise, manage, and inform at a level far greater than ever before. And we are continuing to do so. Which means the modern ideas revolve around their operation and use.

Apps are multiplying faster than humanity every day. AI has arrived at full speed and is the becoming the No.1 tool of use by business. The next generation is already here with driverless cars being trialled on our roads.

Technology seems here to stay and our future.

Traditional has had its day. Or has it?

No matter how advanced we become, we will always require simple. It remains a key element of life.

Which means if you have a great simple idea, you should always follow it through. It could be highly lucrative.

Simple sound, big success.

Sounds are everywhere.

After all the world is nosier than ever.

But, we tend to filter out virtually all of them. Our senses are now more alerted to pings on our phone or updates on our car sat nav of trouble ahead. Everyday, simple sounds just don’t get a look in. We now only switch onto a small range of sounds.

One songwriter managed to do that one day and turned his band’s fortunes right around.

He and his fellow group’s members were in Miami recording an album. It seemed a long process. Every day they would cross a causeway bridge over water to the studio. As the car went over the expansion joints it made little clickty-clack sounds a bit similar to a train crossing tracks.

The tired singer had tuned out of normal thinking as the album was proving longer to record than hoped. And so, that morning his ears picked up the little rickety beat from the creaking over the bridge.

This struck a chord with him. He began to hear a rhythm in the clicks. A beat formed. And a song was born and he used it as a major intro into what was to turn into a worldwide smash.

That artist was Barry Gibb. His band were The Bee Gees. And the song title he created from that trip was Jive Talkin’ (listen to the intro!!).

Within months the song was No.1 on the US Billboard chart and would go on to make millions of dollars.

All from a simple everyday sound that triggered an idea.

Everyday inspiration.

The everyday things around us are where I ideas can be found.

I’m going to use sound again to prove this point. But sound in a different way.

The late, great, already missed Dolly Parton had been cast as one of the lead roles of an upcoming movie called 9 to 5. She had also been asked to write a song for the film to go along with the title. She was drumming up ideas in her head and scratching her acrylic nails together. Immediately she realised it made the sound of a typewriter and the daily grind for many women workers.

This gave her the beat and being the legendary writer she was, the song also called 9 to 5 soon followed. The tune made No.1 on both the Billboard and Country charts and to this day it creates over $6million in royalties per year.

All from scratching her nails to think of how to start the song.

It seems very basic, doesn’t it? But that IS how it works.

What we hear, see, smell touch, or taste each day has the power to transport us into a whole new idea and world. It works because if we relate to it, most people on the planet will too. It’s not obscure. It’s not rare. In fact, it’s there all the time but no-one has paid attention enough to do anything with it.

Our senses will know these simple things and immediately pick them up.

Simple sensations like these are undiscovered gold that we have not mined enough.

How simple can YOU get?

You have heard the phrase, ‘how simple can you get’?

Right, let’s personalise and come back to you. How simple can YOU get? What simple things could YOU turn into a business idea, product, or even individual offering that you get known for?

There are literally millions of options that people dismiss every single day that can be turned into a workable business idea.

Your love of something that has led you to knowing all about it, for example. Let’s say you can rustle up hundreds of dishes with sweet potato or paprika. Or how you can teach people to sing in ten steps as you’ve already shown friends.

If you STOP thinking along the lines of regular ideas that have been done you can win. If you START looking at what you possess and are niche at (niche is really ‘specialist’), you can become a master of it.

Imagine the flutes you make out of wood for local kids being a larger enterprise. Or how you love doing your hairstyle in old retro cuts could span out into tutorials for others or even courses for salons.

So shine up what you think is too simple in your mind and start offering it to the world. Dismiss any thoughts it needs a huge market because it could turn into a cult following, and then you are made. Simple can just be STUNNING!

The possibilities are endless with simple ideas. The end results can be limitless.

Simple ideas can be simply successful!

Photo attributions – free to use under Pixabay Content License by Tumisu and Hansuan_Fabregas and Elf-Moondance and PixelWanderer.

References – udiscovermusic.com – bee gees jive talkin feature.

Today.com – Dolly Parton wrote 9 to 5 lyrics.

Parade.com – Dolly Parton net worth (2026).