Hot answers tagged ideas
19
Well turn the problem around: can you think of a SINGLE startup that became big and that started something no one else was doing before? The goal of entrepreneurship is to build a company that grows so big that at one point it stops being called a startup. And how do you grow to become a large company? By executing in a growing market and doing it better ...
11
I work at The Motley Fool, so I can share what I've seen with you.
The concept of 'unlimited vacation' by itself does not attract Talented employees. Talented employees are attracted to other talented employees. So how do you attract talent? Here at The Motley Fool, we do the following:
Have a 'food fridge', where food is brought in twice weekly. ...
11
The truth is that most ideas are worthless and not unique. It is the execution that adds value.
Having said that, it may be that you can find the time to test out your idea in a small but meaningful way. If it looks like it is following your expectations, you can pursue it. You can hire people to help you, just as any other business does.
Think about your ...
9
Frenchie says it well.
For ex:
Facebook wasn't the first to market in Social Networking, neither is Google for Search, nor Apple for Device maker, nor Microsoft for Operating systems, nor Firefox for browsers, not Starbucks for Coffee, nor Southwest for Airlines, nor Nordstrom for Retail store, you get the idea..
Start up is about getting the right team, ...
8
It's usually not a good strategy to build a startup based on the "missing feature" of a huge company's product because what's happening to you now is what I think always happens. Big companies pay a few guys in a room to watch the market, detect opportunities early, and particularly to monitor startups that are building the "missing feature".
So if you ...
8
Guess I disagree with Frenchie. Or I may agree. Not quite sure.
If the idea lives only in your head, without validation or execution, I would say that its "value" approaches zero.
Consider the following:
You may have a great idea that can set a market on fire, but that's your opinion.
Objectively validating that idea within market segment(s) makes ...
7
People will tell you that you need a co-founder because that's what everybody says; but I disagree.
It's not ALWAYS necessary to have a co-founder to launch a startup and there are plenty examples of single-founder startups that went big to prove it. If you can work on your own, just keep going like that until the product is live. Besides, you could also ...
6
I'm going to tell you something that a lot of people who are new to entrepreneurship don't like to hear: Ideas are cheap. Yes, someone could steal your idea, but the truth is that it's not the idea that's valuable. It's about your execution.
When Facebook was first created, it was not the first social media site; it was not even the first anything really. ...
5
You can't make them sign anything, you can only ask.
They'll likely refuse.
If your concept is so simple to set up, an NDA will be worthless as someone can copy your idea the moment you launch.
Almost nobody has the time to steal an execute your idea.
Nobody can steal your vision and ability to execute.
Stop worrying and starting building. But only after ...
5
Something doesn't match here.
I have an idea that I am almost sure that it will be successful
and...
.. that is really simple to do. It just needs a blog, a twitter account and a facebook page for support...
yet...
I can spare 30 minutes per day but the problem is that the time needed
to be done properly is much more, that's why a team of ...
5
Let's summarize: Your question asks How do I prevent someone from stealing my idea on Kickstarter? and then imposes the condition I have no money for a patent.
So you want to go public with your unpatented idea to crowd source funds for a patent application and development. You will probably want to read the Wikipedia entry on Prior Art before you use ...
5
Most people will tell you "ideas are a dime a dozen", or "share it with the world and get feedback", or "it's not about the idea, it's all about the execution". I totally disagree with these perspectives; these are just dogmas, things that people believe and repeat because that's what everybody else is saying and who wants to take the risk of going against ...
4
It's important to realize some of the best ideas around never sounded sound so sexy or prone to overnight success. For example...
IDEA: Allow people to write short sentences other people can see by tracking whoever they want to read.
OUTCOME: Twitter...
IDEA: Allow people to post photos add special effects on them online and share them (at a time where ...
4
Sorry to say, but I wouldn't bank on getting a salary increase by going into a startup - you have to leave the employee mentality behind: esp if you are going pitch an investor. You also need to factor in risk of the startup failing.
Best advice would be to find the time to do the work yourself - save the cash from outsourcing to pay the bills and ...
4
It looks like you'll be able to build whatever you want, so that's a positive. As for evaluating the business potential of your ideas, you seem to focus a lot of your thinking on the revenue: "how much money could idea X or Y make?"
I think you should think not in terms of how much revenue each idea could generate. Instead, fast-forward to the point where ...
4
Good ideas for web applications that are going to make money are quite rare. I don't know how talented or visionary you are but I am guessing of your 8 ideas, they aren't all great.
I would decide on the one that is your best, and spend your time on that. Building a money making web application isn't easy, that's why so many fail. Don't make it even ...
4
Just like we've seen with the smartphone wars, ideas are pretty common, it's the execution of those ideas that makes the difference between iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7. You need to figure out how to execute in a way that plays to your strengths as a small, lean company.
You can throw in the towel or you can fight back. However, you can't go toe-to-toe ...
4
"A good idea is worthless without impeccable execution and a commitment to iterate."
- Zach Klein
"It’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen."
- Scott Belsky
"Tell anyone and everyone your idea without fear they’re going to steal it."
- Aaron Patzer
"Successful entrepreneurs are quick movers because they realize that just having a multi-billion ...
4
I am not a lawyer but I can't imagine you have any recourse here. If you want to protect the name you need to trademark it. If you want to protect the idea you need to patent it.
If you have done neither of these I can't imagine you have any legal standing.
I would rename and launch your product. You have noticed that not launching yet has cost you... ...
4
Your best chance for an invention that doesn't already exist is to think up something really stupid. It can't just be a bit stupid, that's probably already out there (eg. MS Windows). It needs to be really really stupid. Then there is a good chance it's unique.
You may however learn that finding an invention that doesn't already exist isn't really the ...
3
Pick an occupation: doctors, lawyers, students, real estate agents, stay-home moms, bus drivers, restaurant owners... It doesn't really matter which, all these target customers represents a huge target market anyway. In the next 10-15 years, each of these class of people will see technology transform the way they currently go about their business. They won't ...
3
Ideas do not come from nowhere. Ideas are 'solutions' in context to something specific. In other words something must trigger them.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Another thing which is needed is an 'entrepreneurial' mindset. I believe one can train ones 'mind' into that mindset.
Entrepreneurs see opportunities everywhere they turn. They see ...
3
Sadly, I am yet to see one company where data shows that people take any more vacation time or are any more productive. It also is all hype and does not improve recruiting.
There is a HUGE difference from perception and data shows.
Americans just don't know how to unwind and take proper time off. We are known for it worldwide.
I spoke yesterday to a CEO ...
3
I think 1000$ will not be enough for the offshort developer. I have been made quotes for a russian outsourcing developer for around 2000€. Maybe you can get a student for that quote but in my experience this doesn't work so well. Students are students. I think you should do a prototype yourself first. I say this without knowing what you want to achieve, but ...
3
Mel, the idea is easy... the implementation is a little bit more effort. But even after you have a prototype / product that's where I feel a lot of the really hard work starts.
Do you have the money/time/motivation for marketing, advertising, phone calls. I've not seen a successful startup outsource all aspects of their endeavor and contrary to popular ...
3
You can file for a provisional patent, that gives you the patent rights while allowing you publishing the invention. You need to file for a patent within a year. Provisional patent is a very informal filing, but you need to word it carefully not to omit any of your potential patent claims while still not making it too broad to be disqualified.
Once you ...
3
To grow your business you will have to give time to it along with a good plan. If you are confident that your plan is good enough, you must invest more time in it.
If you can't give much time, then the only thing you can do is to plan it wisely and distribute the work wisely to the people with you. If you are giving 30 minutes to your work then you must make ...
2
Do your best to keep the problem, and solution abstract. All you really want to do is indicate that you have a deep understanding of the problem, which would make you (if you get the project) the best firm to solve the problem.
Also Google "Working on Spec" and why it doesn't work for people.
2
To protect your right to patent something, you should file the patent before you publicly disclose or sell the technology. This is a strict limitation in many countries.
The U.S. is more lenient in this respect in that you can file your patent application up to one year after disclosure/sale of the technology. The U.S., however, is in the process of ...
2
This is a hard one, but speaks to exactly the journey I have been going through the last few years.
You're right, most people don't know, don't care and have trouble trying to comprehend. They however are the market, they are my clients, they are the ones I'm trying to help.
So what have I done is become the bridge for them, consulting with them to ...
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