NDA’s are for losers.

These days I run away from people who demand or even suggest an NDA be signed before sharing a business proposal or pitching their startup or idea.

I strongly believe that ideas are cheap, and not worth very much. Rather than ideas, execution is king.

Even more, when we share ideas freely and subject our thoughts and plans to scrutiny and feedback we gain an opportunity for learning, progress and signaling.

10 months ago we finally decided to go ahead and commit to building VPHub. The first thing I did was write down a list of 5 names I wanted to talk to. These were people I simply wanted to share the idea with.

I actually knew 2 of the people on the list would oppose the idea vehemently or give “signals”. And boy did I get it. I heard things like.

“Incubation is a losing game.”

“The odds are not stacked in your favor.”

“Didn’t you hear what happened to so so & so.”

These 2 persons painted a very grave picture or rather gave a strong negative signal. A signal I couldn’t ignore, but rather choose to go ahead despite the odds and rather try to make new mistakes.

The jury on ignoring these well researched and experienced signals, is off course still out.

The others I knew would either love it, or just expand it further, and make it more complicated.

Ernest Danjuma Enebi is an example of one person who’s early excitement, insights and ideas helped to make VPHub a reality. Boy did he jump on the idea! Ernest jumped on it and became an important part of our team. This only happened because the idea was first shared freely.

I imagine what would have been, if we kept the project a secret with some code name only to reveal it when all was assumed to be “perfect.” All through the process and even till now we kept our vulnerabilities open and boy did we learn, as we continue to.

I remember an engagement with someone who attacked me on twitter about a perceived lack of clarity as to our investment terms. Rather than hide or defend our position we engaged and shared our ideas including our obvious weaknesses and today, we have a strong ally, advisor and family member in OO!

As we continued to share the idea with all and sundry and listen for feedback, our little mustard seed began to look more like a potential oak tree.

If I have learnt anything over the last many months, it’s to keep sharing and learning.