
## The Big Idea

Ideas are easy, but focus and execution are hard. There are endless public APIs with real problems waiting for you to solve - all you need to do is find an audience and start shipping.

## Steal These Ideas to Build New Products

As cofounder of [APIs You Won't Hate](https://apisyouwonthate.com), I've seen the playbook work repeatedly: Find public data. Solve a specific problem. Ship it. From [global news APIs](https://apisyouwonthate.com/podcast/building-an-api-for-global-news/) to [accounts payable management](https://apisyouwonthate.com/podcast/how-mercoa-built-a-platform-for-accounts-payable/), the winners aren't inventing data—they're making it useful.

Friends - these opportunities are _everywhere_, waiting for someone to execute.

### Why This Matters: Value > Hype

It's tempting to chase AI quick wins, but remember:
- Existing data streams = sustainable business opportunities
- Value-add to available information = competitive edge
- Focused problem-solving > tech novelty

### Case Study: Weather Data

Weather apps are commodity products since [Apple killed Dark Sky](https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21201666/apple-acquires-weather-app-dark-sky-shut-down-android-wear-os-ios) (RIP).

There are plenty of untapped goldmines, like [NOAA](https://www.weather.gov/documentation/services-web-api) and [OpenWeatherMap](https://openweathermap.org/api) data for _specific_ use cases that people will pay for.

**The opportunity:** Niche weather apps for specific use cases:

- For pilots: Visibility conditions and wind patterns
- For gardeners: Frost alerts and growing condition forecasts
- For skiers: Snow quality predictions based on temperature patterns

<Image
  publicId="newsletters/steal-these-ideas-for-your-next-product/weather"
  alt="NOAA and OpenWeatherMap APIs"
/>

### Steal These Ideas

#### **1. Nutritional Intelligence with Edamam API**

[Edamam](https://www.edamam.com/) provides extensive APIs for nutritional data and analytics. The generic "calorie counter" app is done to death.

**The opportunity:** Build specialized nutrition tools for:
- Athletes tracking specific macros for performance
- People with medical conditions requiring dietary monitoring
- Parents checking if school lunches meet nutritional requirements

<Image
  publicId="newsletters/steal-these-ideas-for-your-next-product/edamam"
  alt="Edamam API"
/>

#### **2. Geolocation Magic with OpenAQ**

OpenAQ offers real-time air quality data from thousands of stations worldwide.

**The opportunity:** Create targeted apps for:
- Real estate buyers evaluating neighborhood health metrics
- Parents of children with respiratory conditions planning outdoor activities
- Researchers correlating air quality with public health outcomes

<Image
  publicId="newsletters/steal-these-ideas-for-your-next-product/openaq"
  alt="OpenAQ API"
/>


### The Secret Sauce: 3 Traits of Successful API Products

1. **Specific audience** - Target a niche who will benefit from your product
2. **Context transformation** - Don't just display data; interpret it and add value
3. **Workflow integration** - Make your product available whenever and wherever it will be most useful

...and price it accordingly. If you're saving news editors thousands of dollars every week, aim higher than $3.99/mo.

---

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---

## Resources for finding new ideas

### Single APIs in your area!
There's a great collection of APIs waiting to be used on GitHub called [public-apis](https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis)

### Free design resources

I came across [Unblast](https://unblast.com/) recently - self-described as _A growing library of free design resources made by the world's best designers._ Can confirm - it is an exceptional collection. Give it a look as you build your brand or collateral.

### A chicken in every pot, and an SVG for every noun

[The Noun Project](https://thenounproject.com/) started with a simple goal: create a visual language for the world by building a repository of single color icons _for every noun._ Hell yeah. I use it _all the time._ You can use any icon on the site for free with attribution; licensing is either a dirt cheap per-icon fee, or a very reasonable monthly subscription.

---

The future is in your hands. Go on and build something great.

Give 'em hell,
Mike


Steal these ideas to build new products

**1. Nutritional Intelligence with Edamam API**

The Secret Sauce: 3 Traits of Successful API Products

A chicken in every pot, and an SVG for every noun

#apis: 1 posts tagged

Steal these ideas to build new products