Lessons for Entrepreneurs: Ignoring Is Bliss and Then Some

Where ignorance is bliss, ‘Tis folly to be wise—“On a Distant Prospect of Eton College” by Thomas Gray

With all due respect to Thomas Gray, he missed the target when it comes to entrepreneurship: ignorance isn’t bliss, ignoring is. For example, last week I posted a “help wanted” entry soliciting “truemorists” for a site called Truemors.

In the first forty-eight hours or so there were forty-one comments on this posting. Of these responses seven (17%) condemned the idea:

1. Did you hear that Guy is the new Perez Hilton? He must be out of his mind! Please tell me this post is a joke.

2. Did you hear that Guy has sunk to a new low? Come on Guy… gossip is one step away from pornography.

3. All the pitch’s you hear, and this is the kind of thing you want to attach your name and valuable reputation to…another hurtful, hateful gossip site/company?

4. stick to tech, guy, that’s what you are. don’t cover hollywood gossip bs.

5. I hope (think) Guy is joking. Like we really need more “gotchas” and “scooping”!! To wit…I was going to write an article about my visit(s) to Virginia Tech last week to hand out 600 “Hokie Hope” buttons to the students — the rub “the local newspaper implied that the Hokie story might be a little stale now” — amazing! Give me something fresh like Brittany rehab or anything Anna Nicole! Geeesh Guy say it ain’t so!

6. shameless trolling. truly shameless. obvious the mentoring and art of the start mentality is falling by the wayside in one man’s quest for power (or jut technorati rankings) way to go the path of the lemming, dude yamaha

7. I hope this is a joke?

This is fascinating. Based on an intentionally sketchy posting and without seeing how Truemors functions, 17% of the commenters got all twisted up in negatives. What do you think would have happened if founders listened to pre-release comments about selling used printers online (eBay), creating the tenth search engine (Google), building personal computers for hobbyists (Apple), enabling people to tell their friends that their cat rolled over (Twitter), or rating whether people are good looking (HotorNot)?

Truemors, and your idea, might not succeed, but if you listen to the naysayers, you won’t even try. Then, for sure you won’t succeed. The first lesson is:

If you believe in something, go for it. This is the only way to really find out. Mathematically, the naysayers are right 95% of the time, but believing you’re in the 5% is what makes entrepreneurs entrepreneurs.

By the way, 119 people responded positively to the posting too. :-) This yields the second lesson:

If you want help, ask for it. There is a cost to keeping something completely secret and trying to avoid public criticism. As my mother used to say, “If you don’t blog, you don’t get.”

The third lesson is that the best question you can ask someone who condemns something new is this:

“Have you tried it yet or are you just reacting to what you’ve heard?”

Generally, the more vehement the condemnation, the less likely the person has even tried it. I learned this when I discovered that the people who were most anti-Macintosh were the people who had never used one.

To paraphrase Mr. Spock, “Ignore long and prosper.”

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Comments

[Brett]

Great post! We are all so easily swayed by public opinion. Society has basically become a bunch of talk show hosts and color commentators. It's natural for all of us to give our opinion on what's going on, but it's becoming even rarer to be a part of what is going on.

That's why you've got to ignore it. Thanks for the 3 rules.

[Tony Wright]

Great points, though I'd say a more moderate approach is in order. The earlier you can vet your idea, the better. Oftentimes there is a lot of wisdom to be had when you introduce your idea early.

Recently, I launched a little "permission marketing" campaign (inspired by a post by Seth Godin) for a little startup idea (click my name) that I'm working on. Essentially, it was a few screenshots, a "sign up to hear about the launch" form, and a plea for feedback.

The sign ups, emails, and resulting blog editorials were both inspiring and damn useful.

[RBA]

“If you don’t blog, you don’t get.”

Your mother used to say that? :-)

[drrogera]

The great thing about the Internet is the anonymity that emboldens people to say things they would not have otherwise said. I think criticism is important. Knowledge based criticism is even better. If you cannot stand up to the critics how can you face tough investors, many of which will make the same stupid comments. Tell us Guy, have you ever been critical of something without knowing all about it? Of course you have. We all have.
When I started on my book, Maps for Modern Magellans, people told me it was a bad idea, a waste of time, and a distraction. Who is Roger Anderson to write a book on business? "None of the big publishers will carry it." "You are a nobody." So, I created my own publishing company, I wrote my book and I found ways to get it done. That's what Modern Magellans do - we go where we want to because we can. We transform businesses and lives because we are not afraid to try. If it does not succeed financially, it always does personally; we grow, we get better.
So, maybe we don't ignore the critics. We need to face them. Answer their jibes with courageous execution and move on.

Good luck with the venture.

[Andrew Denny]

Guinness used to have an advertising slogan: "I haven't tried it because I don't like it"

We shout down things when they threaten what we love. I would never read the Koran, because to fall in love with it might mean to betray my family. Is that wrong?

Then there is the issue of smugness. For many years I didn't really care for the Macintosh, but didn't mind it - I just ignored it.

Then finally I got a Mac. I was told I'd love it, so I immersed myself in it. But I didn't take to it, and after 18 months I ended up hating it with a passion. I regret trying it now, and hate all things Mac and see Macophiles as insufferably smug and untruthful.

Wish I'd never tried the Mac. Wish I'd said "I haven't tried it because I don't like it". Paradoxically, I hate it more for having tried it, and that's not good for me.

[Anthony Zapata]

"Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavour." - Truman Capote

I completely believe in the philosophy that if you have a great idea, throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks. You will never know unless you try.

Great post Guy!

[Benjamin Atkinson]

My mentor during my university days had an IQ that could boil water. The single, most encouraging statement he made to me was, "You're smarter than the people who will tell you 'No.'"

[Kevin Hoctor]

Great post Guy!

It's human nature to want to feel support from others: "Hey Bill, I bought a Lexus. You should buy one too (and make me feel good about my decision)." We just don't want to feel alone and vulnerable.

I'm in the final stage of software development on a product that has been done many times before. When I tell people about it, the reaction is, "Whoa, you're going to be competing against the Big Boys! Is that smart?" I know I have a great idea and the experience to make it reality, but I still start to lose my nerve to push forward when the Negative Neds start to swarm. Your advice to block them out and ignore any and all nay-sayers is the critical piece that will allow me to finish.

[john]

In reading your original post, my first thought was that you were working on some marketing strategy like linkbaiting or slipstreaming. Still wondering.

[Susanna King]

"If you believe in something, go for it." - This is the mantra of the start-up I'm working with right now. It never ceases to amaze me how this company has been built on pure chutzpah and actually become somewhat successful. The founders know little about technology, they just have an idea and surge ahead with it, confident in their own ability to sell it and to hire people like me to take care of making it all work.

Working on this project has been educational for me. I've learned you don't have to be an expert, you don't have to have all the details nailed down at the beginning - if you are willing to commit to your idea 100%, just go for it and you'll likely succeed by some measure.

[Peter]

Great post and advice. Love the last statement. Attitude makes all the difference.

[Mark Newman - HireVue]

Two years ago when we first launched would you have used recorded video interviews to hire? (well nobody else did for a while either) but here we are two years later after being called crazy and other things and now you will see some very exciting things announced out of our neck of the woods and are growing the team.

Go for it Guy! It will be very interesting to watch. Regardless, you can now monetize the crowds through more than just advertising - you will make a killing off of the telephone exchange fees and transaction off of each text message sent in a la American Idol.

[georg]

Then again, considering that the name "Truemors" makes people associate the venture with those greasy, hateful gossip sites may be something that shouldn't be neglected, even if the site functions in a completely different way that we don't know about yet.

After all, the name is the first thing people will hear about the site, so it definitely makes an impression. Probably, Google wouldn't be where it is today if it was called Poople.

Maybe I should humbly shut up, as I do not nearly have your experience with these things (well, that's why I'm reading your blog!)

[David B. Bohl]

You couldn't be more right-on when you ask: “Have you tried it yet or are you just reacting to what you’ve heard?” It's amazing how much rumor and innuendo is assumed as fact today.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." ~ Herbert Spencer

[Jon M. Holmes]

Mom always said, "Jon, the worst naysayer you will ever come accross is the one that wanders around inside your head." Great post Guy!

[Amit Chowdhry]

Up with entrepreneurs, down with naysayers. btw, it should be spelled Mr. Spock (not Spoke).