If someone thinks the idea is terrible, engage them
So, you have come up with an awesome idea, which may be a game-changer and probably the next big thing.
But before you jump inside the startup bandwagon, you should answer these questions to make sure it will be a good choice to continue (it is a long-term commitment).
Analyze the competition
The first step to take to determine whether or not you should consider a startup is to analyze your competitors in the market.
Healthy competition is always good for the industry. Having deep knowledge of the ecosystem becomes necessary when the rivals are already popular.
Question yourself: Can you make a difference?
As it is said, “Don’t be afraid of being outnumbered. Pigeons fly together, eagles fly alone.”
So, let’s say you have a roughly drawn picture of what you would be offering to society. Now ask yourself a question: How can you make your service or product (whatever you are offering) stand out from the crowd?
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Would your product or service be remarkable? Remarkable, meaning worthy of attention. If you cannot make a remarkable version of what you are offering, I suggest ditching this startup idea, because if you can’t make it stand out, nobody will prefer it.
Are you really obsessed with your work?
Starting a start-up is easy. However, starting a successful startup, and sticking with it until it is a scalable business, is quite the opposite.
While it can eventually be worth everything, the early days may be painful and frustrating. You will not get results or a massive influx of customers in just a couple of days. You will face difficulties and feel like the walls are closing in.
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So, to stick with it, you must absolutely love your industry and enjoy the work you do and the problem you’re trying to solve. You’ve got to be obsessed with your mistakes and improve, day by day, until your product or service speaks for itself – until the time you have to speak for it. So, the foremost thing is your obsession towards your start-up. If you are not obsessed, leave it at this very moment.
Take Feedback From the People Who Think Your Idea Sucks
As you introduce your startup idea to friends and family, it is common to hear all the positive comments. Even some strangers might not want to hurt your feelings and give their honest opinions.
And this is the point where a few naysayers are important. Seek out people who don’t like your idea and get them to poke holes in it. Why do they think it is going to fail? What weak points do they see? This is what my cousin did when he was thinking of launching his site BestAdvisor.
Even though there were many similar sites, he still went forward with his idea simply because while he was taking feedback, he learned about subtle queries which others sites were not addressing. So, sometimes the best advice comes from the pessimists.
Remember, not everyone is going to be your customer, but it is better to head into a startup with open eyes. Are there potential pitfalls that you have not considered?
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