How to keep the lid on a good idea | Hacker News Reader

How to keep the lid on a good idea

ft.com

14 pointsjl7 comments

I was quoted in this article, but the point I really wanted to make (that ended up on the cutting room floor obviously) was that a startup should be more concerned about the 3-person startup working on the same thing than an investor or big company stealing their idea.

The meme that ideas are worthless is generally a good remedy to founder paranoia, but I don't think a lot has been said about why founders feel so protective over ideas.

To me good ideas are what I use to convince myself that I have insight into a problem. Its the truth of those ideas (often manifested in particular features) that makes founding a startup seem like a quest for something good. So the idea of someone taking your idea and doing it first, even though they may not have your insight, totally destroys the vision of your company. Its probably a good thing if you release and are copied, they'll always be playing catchup, but to be trumped before releasing...

I think startups who fear investors do so because of the 3 person startup they are imagining the investor shopping their idea to. Its probably not reality, but no one wants someone else telling their story before they can.

In other words, worrying more about someone else executing the idea better than someone else simply knowing the idea, right?

it is highly possible you may get the idea first but an experienced larger company will almost always execute better than you.

No easy answers.

BTW ideas are worthless only if you dont want to allocate a value to them.

http://juwo-works.blogspot.com/2007/05/ideas-are-worthless-w...

>but an experienced larger company will almost always execute better than you.

I'd love to see but one example of that, actually. IMO larger companies don't execute faster or better. About the only thing they do better is market.

It probably doesn't matter whether someone hears about your ideas, actually. It's tremendous hubris and a non sequitur to think that someone will overhear your idea, immediately think it's fantastic, and go and start a successful company based on that, leaving you totally unable to act.

"Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats."

Ideas aren't "worthless" but there's tons to building a successful company besides building the right product for the right audience at the right time.

For Web2.0, this issue is quickly becoming unimportant. It only takes 1 or 2 people and a couple of computers to build something earth shattering. By the time you need capital, you should be at least 6 months ahead of any potential competition. If not, go back and code some more.

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