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I disagree with premise 1. Sure there is execution risk, but it is not too hard to sort bad ideas from good one provided you actually have some good ideas. The problem is most of the time you are sorting through bad ideas trying to pick the least worst.

In regards 2 there are very few “buyers" of ideas (if anyone knows of any please let me know). VCs and angels have not shown much interest for ideas until they have been proven. I personally think that given the rarity of truly good ideas this is not optimal. Investors that could bring together the best ideas with the best teams could create real value.




Regarding 2, the idea "buyers" are not VCs and angels, they're the other people you need to implement your idea. The savvy engineers and business people you want for your initial team are probably the kind of people to have great ideas themselves. And if they're already working on them, your idea ain't special.


Exactly. When I used the word "buyers" I was using a market metaphor to mean people that would want to execute your idea.


VC and angels are most defiantly not buyers of ideas, but very few engineers or business people are buyers of ideas either. This is the reason you don’t have to worry about sharing your ideas (in general) since nobody cares about anyone else’s idea even if it is fantastic.

If your idea is no better than everyone else's it is not a truly good idea.


It seems to me that a great idea, like a good idea, is just a thought experiment until you've actually tried to execute on it and proven your theory.


Of course, but what do you want to work on? A good idea or a great idea?


I can't know which is which until they're both tested in the wild.

And I've a significantly better assurance of progress/success/etc. if I just pick one and do it.




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