4 ms·

My First Million Dollar Idea (That Failed)

36 points by cj 17y ago

chinmi 17y ago
January 2009 was the month in which I had my eureka moment too. Unlike you I still dont know whether it's going to work, but I can see my idea failing as well now. This time last year however, I was almost convinced I would be winning a Nobel Prize. Seriously, I remember having sleepless nights back then, so full of excitement. I remember not wanting to take a plane for vacation, for fear of an accident and not being able to see my idea through. And I remember accidently copy-pasting my idea into Google, and being so mad at myself for having spilled the idea to a possible competitor. I've always considered myself a very sceptical person, always questioning things and very down to earth... and yet for a long time I was so crazy and obsessed about this idea that I almost dropped out of uni (I have lost a year). You said that many have probably gone through something similar, I don't know about that but if so, I would love to hear from them too. I enjoyed your post very much! Thanks!
- coryl 17y ago
  Have you learned not to be so obsessive about your ideas from this?
  - cj 17y ago
    I think that a certain level of obsession can actually be a good thing.
    - coryl 17y ago
      Sure, comes with the entrepreneurial territory. However, getting mad because you fear a google query may have given away your idea, is pretty unhealthy.
      - chinmi 17y ago
        Haha, I know right :) Coming from someone else it sounds even more ridiculous.. so funny. Well, yes of course I've learned from this. But it's still scary because like I said, I never knew I could be like that. Who knows what other things I still don't know about me.
- alain94040 17y ago
  Check out http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/03/11/the-great-startup-idea-that-i-cant-reveal-yet/ http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/03/11/the-great-startup-id... This is exactly the "Ha ha!" moment that I describe.
tophat02 17y ago
Did anyone else pretty much guess the problem areas as they were reading? As soon as I read "users will insert the pre-roll into their own videos before uploading" my mind went "ruh-roh!" I think it was a great learning experience and he wasn't out too much money, but this is why I think having mentors who you can trust won't steal your idea is the way to go.
Mc_Big_G 17y ago
I remember a conversation where I actually said "I don't think I would take 5 million dollars (for my first startup) if someone offered it to me today." Man, am I glad I didn't actually turn down a 5 million dollar offer. LOL
coryl 17y ago
This is a pretty smart and well adjusted 17 year old.
edwilliams612 17y ago
Sometimes these 'Ah-Ha!' moments just don't hold water on close examination.... and every other time, doing a close Google examination will show you that someone just implemented your idea two weeks ago! Or at least that seems to be the story of my life...
djb_hackernews 17y ago
Wait, why not just have your users upload videos to you, you automate the process of adding in a preroll, and then you upload this video to youtube on behalf of the user. I don't know much about youtube, but this solution seems too easy for it to be applicable. Why not?
danskil 17y ago
Wish I failed when i was in highschool. I had to wait till i got into the real world to have that honor. Consider it money and time well spent. Knowledge is power.

36 points by cj 17y ago

January 2009 was the month in which I had my eureka moment too. Unlike you I still dont know whether it's going to work, but I can see my idea failing as well now. This time last year however, I was almost convinced I would be winning a Nobel Prize. Seriously, I remember having sleepless nights back then, so full of excitement. I remember not wanting to take a plane for vacation, for fear of an accident and not being able to see my idea through. And I remember accidently copy-pasting my idea into Google, and being so mad at myself for having spilled the idea to a possible competitor. I've always considered myself a very sceptical person, always questioning things and very down to earth... and yet for a long time I was so crazy and obsessed about this idea that I almost dropped out of uni (I have lost a year). You said that many have probably gone through something similar, I don't know about that but if so, I would love to hear from them too. I enjoyed your post very much! Thanks!

coryl 17y ago
Have you learned not to be so obsessive about your ideas from this?
- cj 17y ago
  I think that a certain level of obsession can actually be a good thing.
  - coryl 17y ago
    Sure, comes with the entrepreneurial territory. However, getting mad because you fear a google query may have given away your idea, is pretty unhealthy.
    - chinmi 17y ago
      Haha, I know right :) Coming from someone else it sounds even more ridiculous.. so funny. Well, yes of course I've learned from this. But it's still scary because like I said, I never knew I could be like that. Who knows what other things I still don't know about me.
alain94040 17y ago
Check out http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/03/11/the-great-startup-idea-that-i-cant-reveal-yet/ http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/03/11/the-great-startup-id... This is exactly the "Ha ha!" moment that I describe.

tophat02 17y ago

Did anyone else pretty much guess the problem areas as they were reading? As soon as I read "users will insert the pre-roll into their own videos before uploading" my mind went "ruh-roh!" I think it was a great learning experience and he wasn't out too much money, but this is why I think having mentors who you can trust won't steal your idea is the way to go.

Mc_Big_G 17y ago

I remember a conversation where I actually said "I don't think I would take 5 million dollars (for my first startup) if someone offered it to me today." Man, am I glad I didn't actually turn down a 5 million dollar offer. LOL

coryl 17y ago

This is a pretty smart and well adjusted 17 year old.

edwilliams612 17y ago

Sometimes these 'Ah-Ha!' moments just don't hold water on close examination.... and every other time, doing a close Google examination will show you that someone just implemented your idea two weeks ago! Or at least that seems to be the story of my life...

djb_hackernews 17y ago

Wait, why not just have your users upload videos to you, you automate the process of adding in a preroll, and then you upload this video to youtube on behalf of the user. I don't know much about youtube, but this solution seems too easy for it to be applicable. Why not?

danskil 17y ago

Wish I failed when i was in highschool. I had to wait till i got into the real world to have that honor. Consider it money and time well spent. Knowledge is power.