How to Create a Business That Doesn’t Make Sense

In 2000, Jeff Fluhr sat in a meeting with the CEO of Ticketmaster, Fred Rosen. At the time, Fluhr was beginning to raise investment funding for StubHub because he had an idea to take ticket scalping off the streets and make it a legitimate way for people to sell tickets they were not able to use in a secondary market.

Want to guess what Rosen said of the idea?

Rosen told Fluhr the idea would never fly. The reasons Rosen said it would never work were twofold. The first was that there were just too many regulatory obstacles to overcome, and the second reason Rosen did not think the idea of StubHub would be possible in practice was that the artists and sports teams would not benefit from a secondary ticket sale market.

Fluhr left the meeting dejected, but not beaten. He decided to push forward anyway — against all the odds. In 2012, Fluhr told attendees at the VatorSplash conference for entrepreneurs, “If you disagree with someone who gives you advice — even if that person is smarter, older or an industry expert — then you should do what you think is right and trust your instincts.”

When Fluhr met with Rosen, he was meeting with someone who was at the top of the industry. Ticketmaster was the king of the hill, and the fact that he Fluhr was going to float this idea to this particular person was a significant deal.

As an entrepreneur, I understand the early stages of developing a concept and making it your baby. During that initial time, in particular, any entrepreneur is full of hope, but also a little trepidation as you begin to get your idea out into the marketplace. If you speak to others about your business, you want the most support possible. You want people to think the plan will work and to have someone as significant as Rosen tell you that it won’t work must be an incredible challenge for any entrepreneur to overcome.

Real entrepreneurs who have heart and spirit don’t pick up their marbles and go home. I’ve said it in the past; I am inspired by people who have done things that didn’t make sense, shouldn’t have worked, and reversed and established precedent.

If you’re looking to create a new business or have a fantastic idea, there are ways to overcome the inevitable feelings that can come up with someone telling you that your plan won’t work. I’m sure there are as many ways to stay in the right frame of mind as there are entrepreneurs in the world, but here are some of the ways that have worked for me:

You’re Not Alone

Any successful entrepreneur will tell you that they’ve had moments of self-doubt. I’ve been there as well. When I created a shoe drive fundraising model for business, I was one of the early leaders in this type of fundraising and, candidly, I had several people when I created my first organization, before establishing my social enterprises, that told me my idea would not work.

Your Experience Is Not Anyone Else’s

When Rosen told Fluhr that the idea of StubHub would not work, you have to remember; this was Rosen speaking from his own experience. However, since each of us is a unique individual, Fluhr plowed forward despite the setback because he had the passion, gut instinct — based on his research and understanding of the market conditions — and drive to make it happen. As an entrepreneur, you have to remember that others will give you their best thinking, but the reality is that you have to trust yourself.

Don’t Ask for Validation

I think most entrepreneurs get excited about their idea, and then they want to tell others. It’s only natural to want to get out there and talk about your company and want others to be as excited as you. But as I mentioned, more than likely you’ll end up having people who will tell you that the idea won’t fly for whatever reason, or that you should do this or that, or not even try your business at all. One of the best things you can do for yourself as an entrepreneur is depend on your instincts and don’t ask others for validation. Don’t tell others about your ideas. Just get the work done.

You Are Not Your Business

Of course, you want your business to succeed, but don’t ever let your business define you. You are not your business. In fact, you’re bigger than your company. Your experiences and life are much broader than the work you’re doing. So, as an entrepreneur, it’s essential to remember that your business is only a part of who you are as a person. Consider your business a character in your life.

Here’s the deal, if you’re an entrepreneur, then you’re going to face at least some critique. Every business owner comes to the point of inflection when someone he or she believes in says the business won’t work. It’s then up to the entrepreneur to decide whether to pursue the dream or not. I’ve never met someone who just walked away from an idea that they felt passionate about and would work somehow in the market, and that includes me.