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View Full Version : Are you afraid to share new business ideas?



vangogh
08-06-2008, 05:13 PM
Deciding who and how much to tell about your idea for a new business can be a tough call. There's a natural fear that someone might take your idea and run with it.

In most cases there's little to worry about and sharing your idea can lead to the feedback you need to turn your idea into a reality.

I'll share one of my own ideas for how I'm growing my business. For awhile I've been wanting to be more entrepreneurial and open up new revenue streams so as not to be dependent on any one.

I'm working on entering the premium WordPress theme market, which has been growing over the last year, but still isn't overly competitive. I've been working on developing a theme that will be flexible and easy for people to customize without having to edit the theme files. Ideally non developers will find it an easy way to get a custom theme without having to learn too much html and css.

I'm still early in the development and setting up this forum has sidetracked me for the last week, but I'll get back to the theme soon and hopefully have it ready for sale in a month or so.

KristineS
08-06-2008, 09:26 PM
I think, for most people, there's some reluctance to share ideas. You never know who you can trust. I'm pretty careful about the people with whom I work. I've got pretty good radar when it comes to business partnerships so I'll duck out if anything feels hinky. I'd rather miss a good opportunity than work with someone I don't trust.

orion_joel
08-06-2008, 11:42 PM
I find that i do tend to have a reluctance to share my ideas with people, which i have come to find is not always due to a lack of trust, but more so i see a lack of need to do so.

The biggest issue for me in sharing idea's with people is that i have many many time been in the position that i have found someone to share an idea with which i had good numbers on and it looked like a fantastic idea, only to have them spend the next hour trying to tell me it wont work, but they never refute the numbers i have come up with just the idea it self.

I find that it is much easier to just go out and make things happen yourself, while getting feedback from people you trust as you go. Once you get the idea started, and people see it working it is really kind of difficult for them to start down the "no way that idea will never work" track.

Your idea of the Premium Wordpress theme sounds like a pretty good idea, i am far from a designer myself, and while i have started using wordpress, i have been kind of limited in what i have wanted to do because i want it to look pleasing to the eye while not over the top, and just have so much trouble finding a theme that does it how i want it.

KristineS
08-07-2008, 08:17 AM
Joel, I think there's something to what you're saying. I have a reluctance to share ideas because I've encountered the same thing you have, someone trying to shoot my idea down without refuting why I think it will work. Some people just aren't comfortable with taking chances. I'm not sure why that is, but I've seen it again and again.

vangogh
08-07-2008, 11:46 AM
Joel I hear you about not sharing ideas. One of the things I've found is you have to be selective in who you share with if you want an honest opinion.

There are some people I know will always tell me anything I do is great so while I may still share my ideas with them I know they're being overly optimistic about them. I also know people who will tear apart any idea. I know not to take their criticism to heart.

Then there are a group of people in between, people who I can trust to be honest with me. They'll help me shape the idea a little by asking questions I hadn't considered and give me good feedback about whether the idea has legs or not. Sometimes I also like sharing the general idea with the market it will be aimed at. You can pick up a lot of feedback about whether or not they really want what I'm planning to create.

huntwriter
08-07-2008, 06:21 PM
I have to admit that I am reluctant to share business ideas with others. However, I have learned over the years to obtain advice and feedback without letting the cat out of the sack so to speak.

My fear of sharing business ideas originates from an experience I had as a young man. I had a brilliant idea but did not know if it is possible to do. It never has been done before. I asked an expert in the field and he said. “Your absolutely off your rocker, it’s suicide.”

Three years later I read in a newspaper that my “expert” became famous. Yep you all guessed it. The guy stole my “suicidal” idea. Over many years of hard work I still managed to get to the top of my profession and even outdo the “expert”, but that single experience made me shut up about my ideas.

vangogh
08-07-2008, 09:39 PM
I can understand why you'd be hesitant to share. I think there's a balance where you can share some things without giving too much away. The feedback can be really helpful and while some people will look to steal your idea, most won't.

orion_joel
08-08-2008, 12:09 AM
On considering your responses to my post, i think that it comes down to really learning people skills, really knowing how to read people, and not just in the moment but over a time period. For example you may take 10 ideas to the same 10 people, 4 of them will hate every idea, 4 of them will love every idea, and 2 will ask you questions, that open new doors for you.

But i think that this can all come down to human nature. A certain percentage of people do not like risk they want to avoid risk and want everyone else to avoid risk so they are going to be trying to help people avoid it. Another group are people that always want to appear to be pleaseing, so they may be agreeable and think the idea's are all great because they want to be seen as being agreeable. While the odd few people are wanting to avoid risk, but also want to be agreeable, so they have to ask questions to find out everything they can before going one way or another.

I think the people that you need to be wary of as huntwriter made a point about, is expert's who take a keen interest in an idea but tell you it is suicide or to risky.

vangogh
08-08-2008, 12:43 AM
All true. You do have to know who to ask. I guess I learned that a few years back when I was trying to be a writer and I'd show people my stories and gauge their reaction. You get to learn what people will likely say before they say it and use that as a baseline.

It's true that it's really only a certain few that will steal your idea. Most ideas still take a lot of work before they amount to anything and most people aren't looking to do that work so they aren't going to steal the idea. Some though do have the expertise like you say and recognize the idea for what it is. Those are the ones you have to watch out for.

rocketman
08-08-2008, 02:07 AM
At some point everyone must get over the fear of losing an idea because you will not be able to do it by yourself. Just walking up to a lawyer to get a patent forces you to disclose information.

The key is to act on your idea quickly. The longer you hold on to it the more likely someone will have the same idea or simply act on yours.

vangogh
08-08-2008, 02:22 AM
Good point. I think some of the fear is natural, but also unfounded. It's really the implementation of the idea that leads to a successful business and not the idea itself.

Paul Elliott
08-09-2008, 11:04 PM
Joel, I think there's something to what you're saying. I have a reluctance to share ideas because I've encountered the same thing you have, someone trying to shoot my idea down without refuting why I think it will work. Some people just aren't comfortable with taking chances. I'm not sure why that is, but I've seen it again and again.

Kristine, I think there are 2 elements at work.

1. Most human beings are very risk averse. We don't like to step outside of our comfort zones. After all, something may "get" us if we do.

2. Also, most human beings are very afraid someone else may become successful when we ourselves have elected to sit on our couches. Therefore, we look for all the reasons something may not work in a subliminal (or not so subliminal) effort to see you stay on your couch, too.

Look at all the criticism successful people get from those who refuse to become successful

Paul

rocketman
08-10-2008, 05:39 PM
Kristine, I think there are 2 elements at work.

1. Most human beings are very risk averse. We don't like to step outside of our comfort zones. After all, something may "get" us if we do.

2. Also, most human beings are very afraid someone else may become successful when we ourselves have elected to sit on our couches. Therefore, we look for all the reasons something may not work in a subliminal (or not so subliminal) effort to see you stay on your couch, too.

Look at all the criticism successful people get from those who refuse to become successful

Paul

But its easy to be a critic...and critics rarely get ridicule:p

Paul Elliott
08-10-2008, 09:42 PM
But its easy to be a critic...and critics rarely get ridicule:p

Precisely, Rocketman!

Dan Furman
08-14-2008, 01:22 AM
Just my .02, but I think many ideas go nowhere precisely because people are reluctant to share them / act on them. I've know several people that were afraid to start something because they were terrified someone would just copy it. Just saw one yesterday - five years later, he's still fretting over a patent...

I dunno, maybe it's the cynic in me, but I feel most people can't even make a decent cup of coffee, nevermind stealing an idea and running with it :) So by default, I eliminate 90% of the population.

And the other 10%?

Well, since they are the type that can do something with an idea, they are probably already in a business of some kind. And if their business is anything like mine, they don't have time to steal ideas. Really, I have a hard time getting new blog posts up... like I'm gonna run with some new thing :)

Plus, everyone has ideas. It's the ones that act on them that get somewhere.

Again, just my .02, but I always suggest that people run with their ideas - and if they see a little spark of "something", THAT'S when you start worrying about patents and such.

vangogh
08-14-2008, 01:38 AM
many ideas go nowhere precisely because people are reluctant to share them / act on them.

I agree completely. There's no question theft of an idea does happen, but most ideas need the implementation before they become valuable. I have an idea. I want to start a web design business. Feel free to steal the idea if you want, since unless you have the talent and the work ethic to build the business the idea isn't going to help you.

Ok that's a contrived example and I'm sure many people are thinking being a web designer isn't exactly a new idea. What I've seen though is many people who think they have new ideas really don't. They usually just haven't done the market research to see their idea probably exists already.

Absolutely in some cases you do have something you want to keep secret, but even then it's less the idea and more the how you're going to implement the idea that's valuable.

You shouldn't let someone see your chemical formula for turning metal into gold, but it's ok to share the idea that you can and ask for questions how to turn the idea into a business.

KristineS
08-14-2008, 12:12 PM
There's also the potential problem of having a new idea but it's an idea that will be too costly or problematic to implement. Or it's an idea for a product that no one will really want or for one that will require that you spend years building up the market. Sharing the idea with people you trust might let you find out some of those details before you invest money and time into something that isn't going to work.

If you're so afraid you never share what you're thinking, you'll never get information that could help you avoid potential problems.

Paul Elliott
08-14-2008, 02:23 PM
Just my .02, but I think many ideas go nowhere precisely because people are reluctant to share them / act on them. I've know several people that were afraid to start something because they were terrified someone would just copy it. Just saw one yesterday - five years later, he's still fretting over a patent...

I dunno, maybe it's the cynic in me, but I feel most people can't even make a decent cup of coffee, nevermind stealing an idea and running with it :) So by default, I eliminate 90% of the population.

I am thankful for an Idea Creating Engine that has already given me more good ideas than I can implement in 2.5 more lifetimes. I can generate more than people can copy and effectively implement.

If your idea is any good, someone will quickly copy it. If you try to put an impenetrable fence around it, they will accept the challenge and try all the harder.

So, if you wish to steal any of my ideas, please tell me so, and I'll add more things to it and give you permission to use them all! :D In the meantime, I've leapfrogged your best efforts and reset the bar.


And the other 10%?

Well, since they are the type that can do something with an idea, they are probably already in a business of some kind. And if their business is anything like mine, they don't have time to steal ideas. Really, I have a hard time getting new blog posts up... like I'm gonna run with some new thing :)

Plus, everyone has ideas. It's the ones that act on them that get somewhere.

Exactly!

If you have an excellent idea, by ALL MEANS take action! Success goes to those who ACT: Massive success goes to those who act massively.

Clean up the mess later.

Paul