I love it. Everyone I speak to about ecoVent has something to say. I imagine that this finding is not only true to ecoVent, but true for all startups. When I tell someone our idea, they become interested and often question further. The more clearly they understand our vision, the deeper they probe and suggest ideas to consider. The feedback, enthusiasm, understanding and insights offered by each person I speak to varies widely; however, I have found it universally valuable to listen to everyone.
In this 3 part blog post series, I highlight some of the benefits I’ve found from listening to everyone’s feedback and responses to the ecoVent system. I also define a few common “characters” that occasionally emerges when we discuss ecoVent with people for the first time.
Free Advice is Worth the Price
Nearly everyone Dip and I speak to asks us if we’ve thought of some angle or heard of the leading Wi-Fi thermostat. Generally, the answer is yes. We have spent a long time trying to consider all the angles and features for our system. That said, we definitely do not have all the answers, and being open to other people’s thoughts is crucial for keeping the innovative juices flowing. No matter a person’s background or familiarity with tech, HVAC or entrepreneurship, their ideas can make yours better. If people want to share their insights, hear them out. You can learn from everyone.
Occasionally, Dip and I come across a character I like to call the “I Know Your Idea (IKYI: Ick · yee).” This special breed are the folks who hear your idea and immediately start “telling you” about your idea as if you just thought it up in a bar and threw it out there to get your friends’ thoughts. A few weeks back, Dip and I had a jarring run in with an IKYI.
The IKYI (at least how he wants to be seen)
We were chatting over lunch in MIT Beehive with some other aspiring entrepreneurs. The conversation turned to ecoVent, and a guy I’d never spoken with began telling Dip and I about our market – who we are selling to, how we should sell to them and how to look at the landscape. Thanks guy – all of your research and consideration has really made you the oracle here… The IKYI meant well; they generally do. However, his authoritative opinion on a subject he had only considered for a few minutes was uncalled for.
Everyone has their own way of dealing with a know-it-all. Dip just dismissed the guy immediately. I took a different approach. Although I didn’t appreciate his demeanor, I was moved by his conviction. The IKYI’s idea was strongly leaning to one of the go-to-market approaches we had been considering. His certainty swayed me… for a few days.
As Dip and I discussed our go to market strategy, something kept holding me back from fully buying in to the IKYI’s idea. Then I figured it out – he was confident, but wrong. At least I think he is wrong. His approach would put us in a box and make ecoVent less than it can be. Once I concluded that we should pursue the opposite strategy, I talked it over with Dip and we decided to move forward in that direction. So far, the results have been great. We have received very positive feedback from potential partners, and look forward to moving forward on our chosen path.