Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I wanted to share some great advice that I feel has been invaluable to me.
When I first started thinking of a business in my rural town, I had a great
idea! I was excited and on fire and even had a location picked out. It was
as clear as the day to me how it would all go. Then I did something on my
own that is turning out to be the best thing i`ve ever done: I started
asking questions locally. As I began to share my idea and keep in open
mind, I was told "hey, talk to this guy because he has businesses up here"
or "give this guy a call because he knows the area really well" and I
immediately set up times to meet with these people and you would not
beleive the eye opening experience it`s been. They shared the realities,
gave me MORE contacts, and generally were willing to answer all my
questions. This has pointed me in new and better directions, showed me
that I want to focus on wholesale instead of retail and got my name out
there. Even though it wasn`t everything I wanted to hear, it`s been the
greatest FREE education I could ever get.

My advice so far:

1. talk to people around you that are experienced
2. talk to more people
3. use SUN
4. be flexible and willing to change perspective


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Continuously adaptive perception is an important feature in the human brain. I always seek out people who are more experienced than me ... even if they have knowledge that doesn`t seem applicable. Most people know a lot more than they think they do.

and people love to share their stories! Even if it`s not exactly where you
started - you may end up in a better place.

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This is a great post, and very timely as well! It speaks to the principle that being super-secretive about your idea many times is the wonderfully wrong way to go!

It`s true that if you`re in the technical inventing arena, you HAVE to protect the details and structure of a one-of-a-kind idea. But for *most* businesses, it isn`t about a unique new concept. Instead, it`s about a different approach---a different way to offer the same thing as others.

Yet people routinely post to SuN about how they have this idea, but they don`t want to talk about it because someone will steal it! And so the above is excellent and direct experience. It shows that most people aren`t looking to steal other people`s ideas. Instead, MOST people are good-natured, well-intentioned, and would like to help. :-)

Thank you Craig!
I could not agree more...we have a country of over 300 million consumers so if I was always worried about not sharing my idea then i`d never do anything!  I feel as if the more you share the better you can create "business clusters" which are collective folks doing similar things that can help you out as they succeed themselves. I shared my wholesale idea with a local coffee roaster who has been a great mentor and he in return will share my product with all his accounts he already has! Bingo!  instant business......and I will do the same for him. 


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I listen to Jack Welsh`s podcast where he answers questions that people send him.  I don`t agree with everything he says but he often has great wisdom from his experience.

The last one I heard was about this very subject.  His advice was to get out and talk with as many business leaders as you can find, to tell them what you want to do and they will almost always share their knowledge and point you in new directions.

Yeah a little bit of research can go a LONG way in saving you startup mistakes. Thanks for sharing that great tip!

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He who gets greedy like a pig, gets slaughtered like a hog!

Shane

Great post.

I never worry about people steeling my ideas.. They cannot steal my brain.

An idea is an idea ... It is they way the idea or concept is implimented that will make it succeed.

I do agree with Craig... Most all people are honest and are not out to do evil and are more than likely willing to help you. 

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Regards Michael Clayton (rexiedexie)

My Affiliate Articles & Web Page Traffic

This has been a good advice. For me as well, a newbie!   Thanks!

 

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"To be Or Not to Be"

My experience with this has been a little different....

I used to live a life where more often than not people did evil and were "out to get me". Come to find out I was right! Then after a long, slow process I changed to the belief that most people-- especially given the chance-- are generally honest and helpful when approached correctly. Come to find out...I was right!

P-