Hello there,

Cold weather brought some snow to the mountains near us, and we snuck out for some cross-country skiing last weekend.

I maybe got my skis caught in a tire track and fell over… but no one saw me, so it didn’t actually happen!

Lots of big news this week in the world of politics, cryptocurrencies, and Twitter. But I’m here to tell you about physical products with those crowdfunding campaigns you might have missed.

So let’s get into it.

i. What to Avoid When Making a New Product

I have tried to get quite a few product ideas off the ground and encountered obstacles each time. I may not have come up with the next Segway or Pet Rock, but I do have some lessons from my journey.

I’ve studied dozens of books and podcasts and blogs, and these are the mistakes that stay top of mind as I explore my next concept or invention.

Maybe it’s a Pet Sourdough Loaf… keep a lookout for the Kickstarter announcement!

1) Instead of staying in a bubble, go talk to customers.

I set a goal each week while developing new mountain biking gloves to talk to potential customers (aka mountain bikers). And even compared to contacting manufacturers or designing a website, this was the hardest task!

It can be uncomfortable to ask for feedback on an idea, but it’s critically important to keep you on the right track. The bonus is the motivation it offers.

When you talk to people outside your normal circle you get valuable input that challenges your assumptions about the problem you’re solving.

And what’s more – even just hearing one out of four people say “that’s a great idea!” can help you to keep going when you encounter the next obstacle.

2) Avoid rushing the development process.

Ultimately the product itself is what people use and that experience overrides everything else. You can have an amazing video / website / package / whatever, but none of it matters if the product sucks.

Taking the time to iterate and get the details right goes a long way to add some delight to the experience. And that leads to word-of-mouth growth.

People make purchasing decisions based on what their friends say, not so much on what they read in a testimonial on Instagram or Facebook.

It’s a fine line between perfectionism and shipping a crappy first version, so go back to #1 and remember to solicit the opinion of others.

3) Don’t expect a bullseye with your first dart.

The internet is full of success stories, and it can feel like everyone else nailed it with their first idea.

One nugget of wisdom from the entrepreneur Alex Hormozi is this – most people have a graveyard of failures before they have their first success.

You have to throw lots of darts, getting closer and closer before you hit a bullseye.

And knowing that it will take perseverance helps me. I keep reminding myself that the journey should be fun so I can keep playing the game.

Just be sure to aim well and improve with each throw.

ii. Clear Focus Wins Every Time – Growth Tools

I listened to a great interview last week with the growth coach and sales leader Bryan Harris.

The biggest takeaway for me was his emphasis on creating a plan that you believe in.

Once you have your goals and a clear focus (particularly for a business idea) you still need to hold on to your belief.

Bryan’s favorite question is, "What’s the problem you’d bet 20 years of your life on solving?"

For him it has taken seven years to figure out the answer.

He takes solace in the fact that even the founder of Nike stumbled along the way. In his memoir, Phil Knight explains that in year 11 the team was still deciding if they were a distributor, a shoe-only company, or an activewear brand.

It’s helpful to be reminded that hockey stick growth is very rare.

The best line from the interview, by far, had to do with motivating teams.

Working as a coach with clients and teams, Bryan discovered that checking in every 30 days on the vision plan wasn’t enough. It requires at least a weekly review to make sure a team is aligned on the goals.

This line really stuck with me from Zig Ziglar, the famous author, salesman, and motivational speaker from the ’60s.

“Motivation is like a shower, you have to take it every day.”

And while I think it’s better to get started and let the motivation come through action, I also see the value in revisiting your goals frequently. That’s why I love my weekly review!

You can listen to an inspiring talk by Steve Jobs, Jim Carrey, or Denzel Washington. Or perhaps this podcast episode can offer you a little motivation today.

Listen: Bryan Harris on Creative Elements with Jay Clouse (Ep #121)

 

iii. Top Brass Nuggets

• Someone built a gorgeous bespoke portable Nintendo Wii
• Finally the foldable iPhone we all needed (made in China)
• There’s always a need for a better litter box, which is why Furbulous has raised $600k so far!
• Maybe you didn’t know it, but you need this portable standing desk on Indiegogo
• From this heart-warming film about Beijing-born skier and baker Gin Chao – “Skiing is life, everything else is just details.”

One Thing from Me

Something I heard last week from comedian Hassan Minhaj is the idea of “owning the stack.”

By that, he means controlling all the steps of the creation, from writing to filming to editing, and all the way through distribution. He explained that his favorite artists all own the stack, such as Bo Burnham and Jerrod Carmichael. These people get full control over what they make.

The challenge is that ultimately the platforms limit the output somewhat, from YouTube to TikTok to… Twitter.

But thinking about how to own more of the stack sounds great to me!

Thanks,
Jono

PS – this technology far surpasses the method of banging coconuts together