Ever thought of developing a product?
I wasn’t surprised by the number of people that have told me that they have an idea for a product (or service) when I told them I was developing mine.
I remain curious why so few of them were interested to pursue it though, when I presented them current options and ideas to get started.
Here’s how I’ve responded to some of the objections I’ve heard, and how I’ve handled some of my own limiting beliefs:
That your idea isn’t good enough
My first thought is, How would you know?
If you came up with the idea, then chances are there’s at least somebody else out there with the same interest or problem. There may be more viable solutions to it, or your idea may need development, but I guarantee that everything you buy has grown and changed from where it started. In many cases you won’t even find out what the biggest advantage of your product will be (or who most wants it) until you’ve started testing it. I didn’t.
That you don’t have the time
This one can be legitimate: but its also what I was telling myself for years while working unpaid overtime in a job that I was never going to be offered opportunity or support to realise my potential. I thought it was a legitimate limitation then.
From my perspective, it comes down to priorities and organisation.
If everything’s running smoothly then you may even have the headspace to loosely explore your product idea during your routine — if your life and day-job leave no other time available to you. It might take a little while, but once you’ve explored your thoughts, brainstormed maybe and started to form a plan, you can often break first steps into surprisingly quick actions. Remember, all you need at this stage is validation of your idea: Is it possible? Could it work?
That you don’t have the energy or motivation
Fact is that you’ll gather both from those first steps toward your goals, and it’s a massive boost to your confidence too. Momentum increases as you start to see your goals realised, and not necessarily just when you’ve accomplished them. Wouldn’t you like to create something of your own, rather than just helping someone else run their creation? If you’re swamped one week, then just pick up your planning again when you’re not.
That you don’t have the money
If any of these points have resonated with you so far, then you’re probably not in a position to consider investing much in an idea before it’s been tested. A new business will suck up as much money as you allow it, so the principle is to start off as cheaply as possible, with the most basic form of your idea. Once you’ve learned enough to be sure that it might just make you money, you might be able to generate cashflow from there or find investment.
That you’re not capable
No one you admire started off where they are. No one knew every step of how to get there before they started either. Set a goal, do your research and take it in steps.
Once you’ve taken the first steps to find if creating your idea is possible, you’re already halfway to figuring out how, and by that point you’re just as well qualified in your product knowledge as anyone you’re likely to meet.
The secret is that you often only acquire the skills you need, as you need them.
That you don’t know how
As for above, the simple answer is that you’ll find out, you’ll work it out, or you’ll make it up, and this will happen as you need it to.
The big secret of any profession or expertise is that there is no one true way of doing anything. There’s only -
- What was appropriate for the conditions of the time people started doing things that way, and -
- What people are used to.
Both need to be factored into anything you seek to set up, but both also change.
Keep an open ear to advice and don’t be shy to ask for it, but this is also your show: do what makes sense to you.
That you don’t know the people you’ll need to help you
They’ll come. There are many more people than you that may benefit from your idea, and in many more ways than you have thought of: as I’m discovering. If your idea involves intellectual property then be practical about protecting it, but start talking about what you want to achieve, and keep an open mind to how it may benefit others.
Finally, that -
“You can’t do that!”
F*ck those people that will tell you so. Really.
Most of the time the only thing they ever mean is that they can’t do that, and the only reason why not is that they won’t try.
Sometimes your idea may need work (and make sure they’re not saying you can’t because it’s illegal), but otherwise all you need to know about anyone who’d tell you this, is that unless they’re the only person that you’re going to sell to, their opinion on your idea doesn’t actually matter.
There’s a market for everything, it’s just a matter of finding it and a commercially viable route there. (Someone just started selling bottled air, by the way)
Stay away from such negativity in any case (and don’t be that person, either).
Be realistic, but you don’t need to defend yourself or your ambition to anybody.
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This is only new to me, and I’m a long way from saying that I’ve “made it”, but the journey is exciting :)
And I do believe that anyone can do this too. If they can get around their limiting beliefs like the ones above, allow themselves to find the confidence, and allow themselves to hope their hard work will pan out.
If you love your job, that’s wonderful — this doesn’t necessarily ever need to compete with it. But I’d suggest that if you have an idea, then explore that a bit and see if you can make it happen for yourself, rather than just making others’ dreams a reality.