In Getting Real, one of my favorite quotes is about ideas:
It’s so funny when I hear people being so protective of ideas. (People who want
me to sign an nda to tell me the simplest idea.)
To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier.
Execution is worth millions.
I can really relate to this because photographers come to me every so often with the next great idea. Some are good–some, not so much. Most just want advice on how to develop their idea.
But, as the quote above explains–and my personal experience proves–ideas by themselves aren't worth much. It's all about how you execute that idea.
Case in point: I've been pointing many photographers in our SEO forum to Yelp.com. Yelp is a local business review site. They've become a leader in their industry and have raised over $30 million dollars in venture capital.
Yelp.com was founded in 2004 ... but guess what? I had the idea a year earlier. It's true–I even started the site. I don't say this to brag, but rather to prove the point above. I have a ton of ideas (just ask Mike, it drives him crazy). But, an idea isn't worth anything (especially an NDA) if you're not going to execute it with skill, precision, and energy.
I love sharing my ideas with other people. I also love seeing other people come up with the same idea I have and then execute it (like Yelp).
Do you have a great idea? Stop being secretive. Stop worrying if your idea is "good enough". If you execute it properly, it will be.
