10 things I hear when I tell someone I’m starting a [widget] business.

Replace [widget] with anything: coffee shop, personal training, ad agency, invention, etc. Here’s what my friends and family typically say to me. Maybe you can relate.

1. You don’t have any contacts, you need contacts to be successful in that business

Alright, so I’ll take a related class or go to a Meetup. Then I’ll suddenly have lots of relevant contacts.

2. How will you compete with existing widget businesses?

Look, there are a lot of successful widget businesses. I don’t need to beat all of them, only one or two, if any.

3. I knew someone who tried to sell widgets once. It didn’t work out.

That’s unfortunate. Can you put me in touch with them? I’d love to gain their insights so I can avoid doing whatever it is they did wrong. They also might have some contacts for me.

4. If that’s such a good idea, why isn’t [giant company] already doing it?

Who knows. Maybe it’s not worth it to them because they’re too big or there’s too much red tape within their company.

5. That’s a good idea, but [giant company] can rip you off in an instant, putting you out of business.

Or maybe they’ll buy my company instead. Goal achieved!

6. This is just another pipe dream

At this point I’m starting to think I need new friends

Julia

10 things I hear when I tell someone I’m starting a [widget] business.

1. You don’t have any contacts, you need contacts to be successful in that business

2. How will you compete with existing widget businesses?

3. I knew someone who tried to sell widgets once. It didn’t work out.

4. If that’s such a good idea, why isn’t [giant company] already doing it?

5. That’s a good idea, but [giant company] can rip you off in an instant, putting you out of business.

6. This is just another pipe dream

7. But where will you get the money to start it?

8. It’s going to be hard to do this while you’re also working full time

9. Why would anyone buy from ~you~?

10. No one is going to want that

11. There’s no money in that type of business

12. If that type of business worked, everyone would do it

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