Got your “call for action” email @StuartK
I do identify at least a little with your “struggle” there, while trying to build my own business and all. And I sure want a better place to go for advices. I’m struggling precisely with both ideas (one is quite similar to yours at the core), seems like for even a bit longer than you are. And I’ve got much less success, I’d say. Sad introductions aside…
All this keeps reminding me of epinions, about 20 years old, older than google, one of the first times I ended up venturing these seas (trying to make a similar product in portuguese). And there are indeed plenty of recommendation / review sites. In fact, google is one of the best trying to do similar stuff, “organizing the world data”. I am amazed how they didn’t come up with a product for this yet. I mean, they sure tried in many ways, such as buying aardvark and building knol. Map reviews are working quite well. So are google now cards.
But I think they all are either way too broad or way too specific. None have hit the sweet middle spot yet, in which we could get good advice about anything. I don’t always know what I’m looking for, but I do want to turn on TV and zap the channels in hope to find something, or move to another city, no idea where. I do know I like quiet places (some people prefer noise), but got nowhere to look for that specific. You see?
I can tell you this is currently my goal. Building this service or being part of it. I’m focusing more and more there. If this makes any sense to you (or anyone reading this), I hope we can talk.