3 ms·

Just a note on this: Prototypes can be enough to get a company going. Engineers/Makers think that the product is the most important part of starting a company.

Just a note on this: Prototypes can be enough to get a company going. Engineers/Makers think that the product is the most important part of starting a company. It's not. Selling your vision to investors and customers is. Once you have a business plan that's funded, you can refine your product by hiring consultants that will help you with production. Once you have a product then you can get customers to refine the product further. Why is bottled water a billion dollar business in the U.S. when the U.S. has the safest drinking water in the world? I am very sure it's not the product. If you can't sell, define your vision and prototype and find someone to sell them for you. Salespeople are viewed as BS'ers by engineers but without them, companies can never succeed.

keithnz 8y ago
what makes you think the US has the safest drinking water in the world? Can't see it in any of the top 10 (or 20) via google....
- WheelsAtLarge 8y ago
  The population of the U.S. is over 300 mil. How many people die or get sick every year because of our drinking water? It's got to be very small if any, otherwise, we would hear about it constantly until it was fixed. But let's say it is the worst in the world. Bottled water is not the best way to fix the problem. A water filter would be much better in terms of cost per gallon and quality. Just by you asking the question, highlights how well sales and marketing have worked when it comes to bottled water.
  - artwr 8y ago
    I am not sure how the people at Hinckley, or more recently at Flint would take that assertion. Just because tracking causality of morbidity to drinking water can be a difficult task does not mean it has no contribution to health issues.
  - monadgonad 8y ago
    > The population of the U.S. is over 300 mil. How many people die or get sick every year because of our drinking water? It's got to be very small if any All that means is “it’s very safe”. To call it “the safest in the world” is just blind patriotism. There might be long-term health effects caused by but difficult to attribute to water that are more prevalent in the US than other countries, for all we know. > Just by you asking the question, highlights how well sales and marketing have worked when it comes to bottled water. I’m not the person who asked, but no it doesn’t! All it highlights is how hyperbolic your statement was. It wasn’t an argument for or against bottled water at all.
nicodjimenez 8y ago
I totally agree with this, but you're missing selling the vision to employees in addition to investors and customers. Phase 1: sell the promise. Phase 2: fulfill the promise.
- WheelsAtLarge 8y ago
  Very true...
shanghaiaway 8y ago
>Why is bottled water a billion dollar business in the U.S. when the U.S. has the safest drinking water in the world? I am very sure it's not the product. The product of bottled water is availability - being able to purchase anywhere and to bring it with you.

keithnz 8y ago

what makes you think the US has the safest drinking water in the world? Can't see it in any of the top 10 (or 20) via google....

WheelsAtLarge 8y ago
The population of the U.S. is over 300 mil. How many people die or get sick every year because of our drinking water? It's got to be very small if any, otherwise, we would hear about it constantly until it was fixed. But let's say it is the worst in the world. Bottled water is not the best way to fix the problem. A water filter would be much better in terms of cost per gallon and quality. Just by you asking the question, highlights how well sales and marketing have worked when it comes to bottled water.
- artwr 8y ago
  I am not sure how the people at Hinckley, or more recently at Flint would take that assertion. Just because tracking causality of morbidity to drinking water can be a difficult task does not mean it has no contribution to health issues.
- monadgonad 8y ago
  > The population of the U.S. is over 300 mil. How many people die or get sick every year because of our drinking water? It's got to be very small if any All that means is “it’s very safe”. To call it “the safest in the world” is just blind patriotism. There might be long-term health effects caused by but difficult to attribute to water that are more prevalent in the US than other countries, for all we know. > Just by you asking the question, highlights how well sales and marketing have worked when it comes to bottled water. I’m not the person who asked, but no it doesn’t! All it highlights is how hyperbolic your statement was. It wasn’t an argument for or against bottled water at all.

nicodjimenez 8y ago

I totally agree with this, but you're missing selling the vision to employees in addition to investors and customers. Phase 1: sell the promise. Phase 2: fulfill the promise.

WheelsAtLarge 8y ago
Very true...

shanghaiaway 8y ago

>Why is bottled water a billion dollar business in the U.S. when the U.S. has the safest drinking water in the world? I am very sure it's not the product. The product of bottled water is availability - being able to purchase anywhere and to bring it with you.