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Good call. See right above this.
I'm guessing you mean http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1370622 . Votes move comments around, so unfortunately we can't rely on "above" or "below" being meaningful over time.
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I end up snubbing them a few months in because they become so pushy. You may not want to hear this, but you just answered your own original question: you lose interest because you don't care. I can't imagine "snubbing" anyone, much less my own customer. And I know lots of people that would give almost anything for a customer. You may not realize it now, but the "pushy" customers are the best ones, especially when you…
The haughtiness is really unhelpful in gaining insight from a dilemma that many people encounter to various degrees. He's mentioned that this issue is applicable to his endeavors in general, not just startups. People can be involved in business and startups for various reasons, not just a personal sense of ideological purity.
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I definitely have those customers and although I am 100% CSR oriented to start, I end up snubbing them a few months in because they become so pushy.
I end up snubbing them a few months in because they become so pushy. You may not want to hear this, but you just answered your own original question: you lose interest because you don't care. I can't imagine "snubbing" anyone, much less my own customer. And I know lots of people that would give almost anything for a customer. You may not realize it now, but the "pushy" customers are the best ones, especially when you…
Examples:
• You offer a self-service product and someone comes along and wants extensive hand-holding for the self-service price.
• You offer an SMB product and an enterprise comes along and wants enterprise level customization and support at the SMB price.
Less obvious:
• You offer an SMB product and think you can make an enterprise sale. You get distracted from your core audience and overextended.
There are different types of "pushy" customers, some who are simply adamant about their needs and will teach you about your own offering and some who are simply hard-nosed. In the prior case, if your product hasn't been validated in the market it may mean that you're just wrong in your assumptions and need to adjust, but if it has been it may be an indicator that you've stepped too far away from your target market.
The first few levels of a startup are EASY. You're GOOD at this stuff. Ideation, deploying prototypes, early design work, etc. You're GOOD at it. You blow through these levels like a pro and you get the emotional reward.
Then you hit the wall where you SUCK. It's working, but not as well as you've hoped. There are more questions than answers. The next level is a long ways away, so you don't get the "rush of success" for a long time. You're not even sure you can COMPLETE THIS LEVEL AT ALL.
So why not find a new game? Rinse, repeat.
The problem seems two-fold. You might have unrealistic ideas about what startups do. Second, founders fight through shit like this because their motivation is bigger than just getting the "level rush". What's your motivation?
There are all sorts of ways to "hack" yourself here.
1) VERY publicly declare that this project isn't a project-- it's your life.
2) Commit to your friends that you'll run a specific number of experiments (the ones necessary to prove out the model as worth pursuing).
Another thing to consider is to just embrace it. How many have you punted? My dad played bongos in a jazz band, drove a cab, sold veterinary drugs, did electrical work, etc., until he was about 35. He then went on to build companies and ended up in executive management for the last 10 years of his career. You may have to kiss a lot of toads to find your prince... And it MIGHT not be the right decision to force yourself into long toad makeout sessions if it doesn't feel right (okay, that's my best analogy ever).
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I end up snubbing them a few months in because they become so pushy. You may not want to hear this, but you just answered your own original question: you lose interest because you don't care. I can't imagine "snubbing" anyone, much less my own customer. And I know lots of people that would give almost anything for a customer. You may not realize it now, but the "pushy" customers are the best ones, especially when you…
Bullshit. Some customers are not worth having. Learning who is not your customer is important. Examples: • You offer a self-service product and someone comes along and wants extensive hand-holding for the self-service price. • You offer an SMB product and an enterprise comes along and wants enterprise level customization and support at the SMB price. Less obvious: • You offer an SMB product and think you can make an…
You're right, some prospects should not be converted into customers. But existing customers should be treated with respect and not abandoned. Their "pushiness" is a symptom of a larger problem which needs to be identified and solved one way or the other.
Not quite sure where the "bullshit" came from.
I have this same problem often - maybe not even six months. I have several techniques that seem to work to combat this well 1. When you do have the enthusiasm for the project try to do the "dull" or "chore" work first. That way the fun and exciting bit will keep you going for longer - they lose their motivational benefits once they are done after all. 2. Make sure you can come back to the project and work on it later…
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There is something condescending about your comment but I can't put my finger on it.
Sorry, I don't mean it that way. It was a quick way of saying that you have to discover what drives you. Reading about how others do it may give you some insight, but you are not going to find 'the answer' on HN or anywhere else. Threads like this remind me of self-help books - you can spend all of your time reading about others, or you can start trying different things for yourself and see what works.
Self-help books have limited use they are too general, but the situation between HN'ers in the same profession as the OP is so comparable that it is possible that some concrete tips will in fact materialize.
Even I learned a lot from the answers in this thread and I really hope that such questions keep coming. No such thing as a stupid question.
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Bullshit. Some customers are not worth having. Learning who is not your customer is important. Examples: • You offer a self-service product and someone comes along and wants extensive hand-holding for the self-service price. • You offer an SMB product and an enterprise comes along and wants enterprise level customization and support at the SMB price. Less obvious: • You offer an SMB product and think you can make an…
Your examples are prospects , not customers. You're right, some prospects should not be converted into customers. But existing customers should be treated with respect and not abandoned. Their "pushiness" is a symptom of a larger problem which needs to be identified and solved one way or the other. Not quite sure where the "bullshit" came from.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bullshit. Some customers are not worth having. Learning who is not your customer is important. Examples: • You offer a self-service product and someone comes along and wants extensive hand-holding for the self-service price. • You offer an SMB product and an enterprise comes along and wants enterprise level customization and support at the SMB price. Less obvious: • You offer an SMB product and think you can make an…
Your examples are prospects , not customers. You're right, some prospects should not be converted into customers. But existing customers should be treated with respect and not abandoned. Their "pushiness" is a symptom of a larger problem which needs to be identified and solved one way or the other. Not quite sure where the "bullshit" came from.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry, I don't mean it that way. It was a quick way of saying that you have to discover what drives you. Reading about how others do it may give you some insight, but you are not going to find 'the answer' on HN or anywhere else. Threads like this remind me of self-help books - you can spend all of your time reading about others, or you can start trying different things for yourself and see what works.
I think it was the 'grasshopper' that did it, it's funny in one way but it makes it seem like you're talking down to someone. He asked a very valid question and there is tons of really good advice in this thread, indeed, it may not be 'the answer' but it can help and 'you need to find it out for yourself' makes it seem as though that advice is worth nothing. Self-help books have limited use they are too general, but…