Page 128 - The Business Idea Factory: A World-Class System for Creating Successful Business Ideas

Creative buddy

Your creative buddy is the first person with whom you share ideas. A creative buddy can highlight the
potential problems in ideas that you haven’t noticed as well as suggest how to improve them. Find a
person with whom you are on the same wavelength, whom you enjoy being around and whose
opinion you trust.

For example when I generate ideas, I first share them with my wife. I know that Olena honestly says if
she thinks the idea is good or not and her opinion is always valuable. Time has proven that if Olena
approved an idea, the probability that it will become successful is higher.

Your creative buddy can be your better half, friend, colleague or business partner, but most important
is that you have an easy rapport with this person and are not afraid to share your silliest ideas. Most
people won’t be honest with their criticism, but the creative buddy will. Most people won’t give you
an opinion that you trust, but the creative buddy will. The world’s best thinkers know the importance
of having a creative buddy and spend years developing relationships with people who they can trust.
After your creative buddy has told you that the idea is good, it’s worth exposing it to a larger group
of people.

Use the opinions of others as additional information for consideration but make a final decision
regarding the idea yourself. Remember that there are numerous examples in history where nobody
besides the idea creator believed in the idea but eventually it became extraordinarily successful. Once
you have made your own analysis and received external opinions, implement your best ideas and let
the market say which of them are viable.