Meeting Canary has been out on Microsoft AppSource for a couple of months now and the market reaction has been remarkable and universally positive.
Users are already reporting improvements and it seems like we really are ‘making meetings better’. Good.
But I woke up this morning thinking about why it works and what makes this flock of canaries likely to succeed.
I’ve been involved in very many start-up and scale up businesses in my career, and I do think there is a formula for success. But before I opine on the positive it’s useful to look at the negative.
What stops an idea becoming a successful business? I reckon there are five key hurdles to overcome:
- Shhhhh – don’t tell anyone
- I’m right, I’m definitely right.
- This lady’s not for turning.
- It’s unique in the market.
- I’m not listening.
Let’s take each in turn.
#1 is the hurdle that many people arrive at and actually never even try to jump. Ideas are actually rather cheap – with billions of other people on the planet – all with a brain (albeit of varying quality) ideas are literally 10 a penny. It’s all in the execution. If you have an idea and do nought about it, that’s all it will ever be, just an idea. So just get on with it.
Next up – #2 arrogance – ‘I am right, I have a fine quality brain and all will be well’. No it won’t. Whatever your idea is, don’t love it too much because what succeeds will not be exactly what you first thought. MeetingSheep was a terrible idea. Baaaa.
#3 An old prime minister in the UK was famous for her laser-like focus on moving in one pre-determined direction. I never agreed with that – it’s intellectually arrogant. When evidence pops up, change direction. Don’t reverse completely (unless you are totally wrong – see MeetingSheep above) but do reflect and absorb. The survival of the fittest is based on adaptation.
#4 It’s unique, we have no competition. Yeah right, don’t be daft, even if your idea is genius there will be similar ones out there, and worse larger companies will just lie and say they do what you do anyway. No one loses their job if they choose to go with a giant corporation rather than your micro business, so stop thinking you’re on your own. It’s a jungle out there, buy a machete.
And finally #5 listen. Listen really hard. Talk to your cleverer mates, your family, talk to people you trust, practice your pitch, listen and change. Then you’re ready.
Next up here’s what I reckon success looks like:
6. Don’t start with market research!
7. Talk to everyone.
8. Be flexible.
9. Get back up.
10. Stop sleeping.
The idea that #6 market research should be avoided is quite bizarre. But there is a truth to it. If you have a reasonably good quality mind you tend to have a good memory right? So if your germ of an idea starts with research two things will happen. First, you’ll read lots of companies saying they already do what you plan (see #4 above), which might put you off altogether. Second, and this is more worrying, you’ll absorb the ideas you read and forget the source and months later you’ll realise you actually stole ideas!
#7 I’ve already said talk to your pals and your trusted colleagues, but the other tip is turf up to any relevant event and try your pitch out on unsuspecting victims. Listen to their thoughts. If, like Meeting Canary, you have made an app that the public can use, listen to them, learn and morph. Earlier on, a new user recommended our meeting cost calculator should use an average salary measure, because if we did what we thought we might do and use AI to estimate the CEO’s salary it wouldn’t take long for the pitchforks and firebrands to appear!
Be #8 flexible is a good idea in general. Life is rarely binary – it’s a grey scale, in business tilting the tables slightly in your favour is how you beat the house.
#9 is tough. This may be a ‘born with’ characteristic, but it’s vital, you will get a good kicking more often than a pat on the back early on. Just get up. Gird your loins and never accept failure. Failure is a moment in time and it will fade. Success is a virus, infect yourself and your colleagues and you’ll win.
And finally what really makes all this madness work – it’s commitment, it’s 100%, it’s giving everything. Obviously you need to sleep – and obviously I don’t mean sitting working all the time, but dedicate a part of your mind to your idea, and make sure it never sleeps. That’s how you’ll win and this formula is why we think we will too.
HC