Believing that your innovation is so obviously superior that it will sell itself is common error

In the recent Spike Jonze movie Her , the main character, a writer named Theodore Twombly played by Joaquin Phoenix, falls in love with his OS.

While the movie suggests failing in love with technology may be a modern manifestation of the so-called ‘Edifice Complex’ (where a person falls in love with a building/object or the desire to build one) the premise is not necessarily as far fetched as you’d think. In fact falling in love with an object is something that happens to start-ups and entrepreneurs all the time.

It’s an understandable emotion to have: having spent a huge amount of time and resources in the development of something – whether it’s a work of art or a new online payment system – one can get very attached.

So when somebody comes along and tells you it’s flawed, it’s hard not to take it personally.

"There are no dumb users, only dumb products." This quote from social innovator Timothy Prestero is a very good starting point for any innovator or designer. Fear of rejection can be, however, enough to put some people off altogether.

Regular issue
Dr Briga Hynes, programme director for the MBS in international entrepreneurship management at the Kemmy Business School in the University of Limerick (UL), encounters young innovators with this issue on a regular basis, particularly those coming from scientific or technical backgrounds.

“For many entrepreneurs, the process of launching a company begins with the moment when they conceive of a breakthrough idea for a new product or service,” she says.

“Very often, they are so passionate about the idea that they believe its merits will be self-evident to prospective customers and investors – that the innovation is so obviously superior it will sell itself.

“Innovators-turned-entrepreneurs can often think that everybody who is going to purchase their product will be as passionate about its benefits as they are. Entrepreneurs who believe that delusion then are risking personal and business failure before the business even gets off the ground.

“On the flipside, hesitancy in taking an objective appraisal of the business may be due to a number of factors which resonate at the person and idea level. From a personal viewpoint the entrepreneur fears being told that their idea is not in demand, not needed, too costly and this is interpreted as personal rejection and failure.

“From the ideas perspective, the fear that it does not live up to a competitor’s offerings – or is not as unique as was envisaged – requires a return to the drawing board or lab, which can be attractive. The lab is their comfort zone and extending beyond this moves the inventor into an unknown environment where the language of business and feasibility study analysis do not sit comfortably.

“So the challenge is to engage with the innovator at the early stages of their idea development and encourage them to see the benefits of evaluating the idea, and get some honest feedback to direct and guide the progression of the product to commercialisation in an effective manner. A central aim for us here at UL is to demystify the language of business for the technical entrepreneur and create an appreciation and understanding of the issues involved in the commercial exploitation of scientific and technological discoveries.”

Ash Maurya's best-selling business mentoring book Running Lean - Iterate from Plan A to a Plan that Works holds an almost universal truth for young business: every plan will change.

That almost inevitably includes the product or service itself and getting to grips with this is not just a problem for young innovators.

"It's actually one of the hardest parts in the whole process of trying to build start-ups," explains Dr Cody Mayoh, project manager for Enterprise Development at NovaUCD.

“We have to deal with this issue in two different ways – with young, inexperienced entrepreneurs spinning out from the university, as well as with those more experienced entrepreneurs spinning into the incubator. Both present their own challenges.”

With technology at the heart of its focus, NovaUCD works within an extensive range of sectors including food science, ICT, life sciences, physical science, clean tech, etc.

Reluctance to change
"Still this is a constant issue right across the board," says Mayoh. "Sometimes you get really technical people who need help with business, and vice versa. Reluctance to change is found on both sides and is understandable.

“There’s nothing wrong with feeling passionate about your project and we know that it can be very difficult when you care so much about something to change it radically. But that change could be the key that gets you through the door to those customers.”

Is there any danger of taking on too much constructive criticism, going too far the other way and ultimately losing the essence of what made your innovation unique?

The short answer is yes. But one can never do too much market research. “Ultimately one needs to take advice from the right people,” says Mayoh. “Smart entrepreneurs always have people they respect and trust around them.”