​ I'm exploring a business idea and would appreciate honest feedback before investing money in it. The idea is to build a platform that helps people find all types of small local businesses—from regular shops to roadside shoe polishers, cobblers, ironing workers, tailors, key makers, flower sellers, puncture repairers and home-based service providers. The platform would start in Rajkot, Gujarat, and potentially expand to other cities and highway routes. The plan: - Every small business gets a free listing. - Listings include location, services, contact details (with permission) and directions. - People can find businesses that may be difficult to discover through conventional online directories. - Revenue would come from advertising and brand sponsorships, not from charging small business owners. I'd like feedback on four questions: Would people actually use this instead of Google Maps or Justdial? Are there enough tiny businesses missing from existing online directories to make this valuable? Could advertising revenue support a platform like this in an Indian city? What is the biggest weakness or reason this idea might fail? I'm at the research stage and haven't built the app yet. I'd especially value feedback from people who have built local directories, marketplaces or advertising-supported platforms.   submitted by   /u/LengthDear2292 [link]   [comments]