How to listen to advice about your startup
On Monday, we launched OneIS.
Lots of people have been kind enough to give us advice while we've been developing OneIS. Looking back, we've learnt that really good advice inspires ideas, but doesn't dictate a specific path to follow.
If you think about it, that's only to be expected. Technology startups are so new, no one you meet will have have years of experience running a business like yours. In fact, if you're launching a disruptive business, you definitely don't want advice on "how to do it" because you'll be deliberately doing it a different way.
If your experience is anything like ours, just about everyone you meet has offered advice on how you should do things. But since no one has thought about your startup as much as you have, you have to learn to evaluate the advice you get. Here's our tips:
1. Context is everything. Think about the perspective and experience of the person who is giving the advice, and interpret it accordingly. Their advice comes from all the different experiences they've had in their lives. It is not based on you and the unique situation you are in right now.
2. Remember that keeping up your morale is vital. You're on a long, arduous journey. Don't listen to people who demoralise you. That doesn't mean you should ignore people who are objectively pointing out potential pitfalls, but if someone is just being cynical and rude avoid them. They will only eat away your energy.
3. If the advice is superficial, check that you've properly explained your concept. Some of our early advice focused on our colour choices, but with hindsight we see that we didn't explain our product very well. What else could they say?
4. Consider how do you feel after receiving the advice. If you feel inspired to make changes and push your project forward in new ways, then maybe it's really great advice. But don't let inspiration distract you from your core proposition.
5. Don't seek praise, instead actively seek constructive feedback. It is the only way you can continue to improve and get better and better. "That's great" tells you nothing, but "if only it also did ..." pushes you forward.
6. Remember that your friends and family care about you as a person more than they care about your project. Their main interest is your safety and happiness, so their advice is more likely to be cautious. They don't want to see you taking a risk!
The people who give the best advice are the ones who spend most of their time listening. They contemplate, and think about things. Avoid taking too much notice of people who give you advice after only hearing about your startup for a few minutes. They haven't heard enough, or given themselves enough time to ponder the many aspects that make up your business.
Of course, we're incredibly grateful for all the help and advice we've had along the way. But next time around we'll be more cautious about the advice we take to heart. Maybe G K Chesterton had a point: "I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite."
Take inspiration from everywhere. Read blog posts and articles. Attend events. Talk to everyone you can. Listen to the stories of others who are starting their own businesses.
But remember you're the one who lives the dream, and knows the most about your startup, your market and your project. Be cautious about advice freely given to you by others. Listen to your own gut feeling. Take time to think and consider.
And most importantly, trust yourself. The advice you give yourself is often the best advice.
Ben Summers and Jennifer Smith
Posted by: Stewart Townsend | Category: Generic
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