Please don't ask for NDAs at the idea stage
<playful-rant>
As part of our beta onboarding at Saasify, we've had the pleasure of meeting with over 100 aspiring SaaS founders so far. Most of these meetings involve hearing a pitch, giving some advice, and only occasionally recommending Saasify as a solution.
Over the course of these meetings, there's one thing that always sends up a red flag -- an insistence on signing any sort of NDA before we meet.
I can understand why people want to protect their ideas, but this tends to be a sign of inexperience more than anything.
First off, it's generally not a good sign when someone is so protective of their idea because it means they haven't done this before. Ideas are worth jack. I'm sorry to be blunt, but I'm just being honest. It's your ability to execute on the idea, market your solution, and build a viable business that's worthwhile and 95% of the time your original idea evolves into something else along the way.
Here's a solid discussion on why legit people won't deal with you if you're insisting on an NDA at the idea stage.
I'm giving this perspective & feedback to try and help other founders btw -- I've started and sold two companies, and I've spoken with hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs about their ideas. If you want help from people who are legit, it's critical to understand why ideas aren't worth much on their own and to adjust your mindset accordingly.
So please, unless your idea has some crazy special IP aspect to it, don't ask for an NDA to get feedback on your ideas.
</playful-rant>
✌️
Give this a big like, people's paranoia on their next big idea that never goes anywhere is so common and always the amateurs.
If only they realised their unique idea isn't unique and has no value without execution and people who believe in it.
Take a chance or go the grave never having tried.
I used to be scared of sharing ideas. I'd be too scared to even mention them until I had either started or completed or at least had the domain name. I wanted to go as far as having a trademark on them before I'd even talk about them. Yes, anyone can take them. Anyone can steal them. Anyone can pass your idea off as their own.
What they can't do: get your product exactly how you described it / want it / make your vision completely their own.
How'd I overcome this? One day, I told a really skilled and talented programmer friend of mine about an idea I had. You know what he did? He said, "Cool, that sounds awesome." So I said to him, "Do you want to help start it with me and we'll split the profits 50/50?" And he said, "You know, it sounds like a really great idea, and I'll even try it out and maybe use the product, but I'm just not that interested in it, as I've got my own things going on."
I spoke with another developer and something similar happened: he wanted me to build it while he would market it. In this case, I kept him in mind, and we talk occasionally, but not exactly what I needed at the time, and he went off and did his own thing.
I'm not sure how it translates into a professional setting, but in personal: someone could steal your idea, make it theirs, but it'll probably never be exactly like your idea.
People that ask for NDA’s in the idea stage are a laughing stock... sorry not sorry 😅
Ideas are worth jack --> love this!
I hope more people are aware of this.
This comment was deleted 4 years ago