2 ms·

one must be a tad careful lest they disclose to too many entities The more people you talk to about your idea, the better it gets. Open discussion is a great p

one must be a tad careful lest they disclose to too many entities The more people you talk to about your idea, the better it gets. Open discussion is a great product design tool. There are good cases for secrets and taking care. But I'm afraid your comment will reinforce a bad idea in many who read it. A better mantra, though not exactly true either, is "your idea isn't worth anything".

noelsequeira 18y ago
That's an extremely interesting point and makes for good debate. And I'll surprise you by saying I subscribe to the school of thought that believes ideas are cheap. I honestly do. However, over time, i'm assuming you develop an ability to subject your idea to fairly rigorous evaluation based on experience; and confidentiality might then mean much more to you. It's really amazing though, the feedback and the varied points of view. I must compile a list of disclaimers to be prepended to the article. 'Don't be naive about your idea' definitely will be one of them!
- ivankirigin 18y ago
  People that seek funding from early stage investors (and get rejected) probably don't have that much experience. They'll benefit just from the interview process, as it will hone the idea.
froo 18y ago
The more people you talk to about your idea, the better it gets. Completely agree, I think I've discussed my idea/startup with many people, I don't think I've been secretive with it at all. In my case though it's not so easy to steal - as it actually requires serious effort to implement and it's not a one winner takes all kind of market. But I've found discussing my idea with many people has helped mould what was a concept into a series of hurdles, which has made it clearer in my mind what I need to do. This has also helped me come up with several possibilities for shortcuts to get it to market earlier. I personally think that unless you're trailblazing something very new or producing something that can be easily copied, you probably shouldn't be trying to keep quiet about it. That's just my opinion though. EDIT - just an addendum. If you are going to discuss your idea with people, I find its best to NOT talk it over with your friends. The bias usually leans towards you getting overly positive feedback. Good for the ego, bad for the idea process.... you may end up wasting your time (which is your most valuable asset) on something not worthwhile.

noelsequeira 18y ago

That's an extremely interesting point and makes for good debate. And I'll surprise you by saying I subscribe to the school of thought that believes ideas are cheap. I honestly do. However, over time, i'm assuming you develop an ability to subject your idea to fairly rigorous evaluation based on experience; and confidentiality might then mean much more to you. It's really amazing though, the feedback and the varied points of view. I must compile a list of disclaimers to be prepended to the article. 'Don't be naive about your idea' definitely will be one of them!

ivankirigin 18y ago
People that seek funding from early stage investors (and get rejected) probably don't have that much experience. They'll benefit just from the interview process, as it will hone the idea.

froo 18y ago

The more people you talk to about your idea, the better it gets. Completely agree, I think I've discussed my idea/startup with many people, I don't think I've been secretive with it at all. In my case though it's not so easy to steal - as it actually requires serious effort to implement and it's not a one winner takes all kind of market. But I've found discussing my idea with many people has helped mould what was a concept into a series of hurdles, which has made it clearer in my mind what I need to do. This has also helped me come up with several possibilities for shortcuts to get it to market earlier. I personally think that unless you're trailblazing something very new or producing something that can be easily copied, you probably shouldn't be trying to keep quiet about it. That's just my opinion though. EDIT - just an addendum. If you are going to discuss your idea with people, I find its best to NOT talk it over with your friends. The bias usually leans towards you getting overly positive feedback. Good for the ego, bad for the idea process.... you may end up wasting your time (which is your most valuable asset) on something not worthwhile.