Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Is it common for founders to doubt their ideas early on?

news.ycombinator.com

11–13 of 13 posts

Re: Ask HN: Is it common for founders to doubt their ideas early on?

#11
I found this article very useful for evaluating startup ideas, the author lays out a 12 question strategy. http://www.businessinsider.com/essential-startup-questions-2...

His key point is identifying potential customers and a way to attract them to your product. If you can't identify those 2 things from the start your idea/invention may not be worth pursuing further.

Re: Ask HN: Is it common for founders to doubt their ideas early on?

#12
post #3
post #2

All people have doubts from time to time. What you think is irrelevant in the end, the only useful question is will people buy it? you can't find that out by thinking only by asking people.

I assume you mean when you have a product. People usually don't know what they want until they get their hands on it. I'm trying to figure out how much doubt about an idea should raise an alarm that one should stop pursuing it.

No I mean ask potential customers right now, if I made X would you pay me X. If yes great can I have a prepayment, if no ask them "why not?".

Re: Ask HN: Is it common for founders to doubt their ideas early on?

#13
post #6

I don't believe it's bad, it actually makes you test your assumptions all the time and eventually make them better. Even successful entrepreneurs has doubts every day. I think as soon as you stop to have doubts you cannot improve anymore. Recommended read on this topic: http://pandodaily.com/2013/02/05/living-with-doubt/

Wow, that post was (not exaggerating) life changing. Thanks.
Post reply on HN