I get caught in a conversation with an "idea guy" about once a month. The situation boils down to:
1) The guy had an idea
2) He wants me to do all the work implementing it
3) He will begrudgingly share half the profits with me.
I've started filing people away quickly into two categories. "Idea Guys" think they've done half the work coming up with an idea. I ignore these people. They don't have answers to any questions I ask because they haven't thought their idea farther than "The next Facebook!"
"Business Guys", I suppose I will call them, are much rarer. They want to create a business and happen to have an idea to start with. They've already done research into the market, they know who the competitors are, why this idea would succeed, what they need out of me, what other positions they need filled and already talked to others who have started businesses to get some guidance.
I am happily working with a business guy right now. It was his idea, and he's done plenty of work before we even got together.
I recommend attending Startup Weekend if you want to meet some business people and see the difference between my two categories. Great experience for about $100.
1) The guy had an idea 2) He wants me to do all the work implementing it 3) He will begrudgingly share half the profits with me.
I've started filing people away quickly into two categories. "Idea Guys" think they've done half the work coming up with an idea. I ignore these people. They don't have answers to any questions I ask because they haven't thought their idea farther than "The next Facebook!"
"Business Guys", I suppose I will call them, are much rarer. They want to create a business and happen to have an idea to start with. They've already done research into the market, they know who the competitors are, why this idea would succeed, what they need out of me, what other positions they need filled and already talked to others who have started businesses to get some guidance.
I am happily working with a business guy right now. It was his idea, and he's done plenty of work before we even got together.
I recommend attending Startup Weekend if you want to meet some business people and see the difference between my two categories. Great experience for about $100.
http://startupweekend.org/