Ideas are cheap and plentiful. The original pitch idea is such a small part of a
business that it's almost negligible. The real question is how well you execute.引自 Start making something
A lot of companies focus on the next big thing. They latch on to what's hot and new. They follow the latest trends and technology.
That's a fool's path. You start focusing on fashion instead of substance. You start
paying attention to things that are constantly changing instead of things that last.
The core of your business should be built around things that won't change. Things
that people are going to want today and ten years from now. Those are the things you
should invest in.
...
For 37signals, things like speed, simplicity, ease of use, and clarity are our focus.
Those are timeless desires. People aren't going to wake up in ten years and say, "Man, I
wish software was harder to use." They won't say, "I wish this application was slower."
Remember, fashion fades away. When you focus on permanent features, you're in
bed with things that never go out of style.引自 Focus on what won't change
Is this actually useful? Are you making something useful or just making
something? It's easy to confuse enthusiasm with usefulness. Sometimes it's fine to play a
bit and build something cool. But eventually you've got to stop and ask yourself if it's
useful, too. Cool wears off. Useful never does.引自 Reasons to quit
Problems can usually be solved with simple, mundane solutions. That means
there's no glamorous work. You don't get to show off your amazing skills. You just build
something that gets the job done and then move on. This approach may not earn you oohs and aahs, but it lets you get on with it.
……
When good enough gets the job done, go for it. It's way better than wasting
resources or, even worse, doing nothing because you can't afford the complex solution.
And remember, you can usually turn good enough into great later.引自 Good enough is fine
We're all terrible estimators. We think we can guess how long something will
take, when we really have no idea. We see everything going according to a best-case
scenario, without the delays that inevitably pop up. Reality never sticks to best-case
scenarios.
That's why estimates that stretch weeks, months, and years into the future are
fantasies. The truth is you just don't know what's going to happen that far in advance.引自 Your estimates suck
It's so easy to say yes. Yes to another feature, yes to an overly optimistic deadline, yes to a mediocre design. Soon, the stack of things you've said yes to grows so tall you can't even see the things you should really be doing.
Start getting into the habit of saying no--even to many of your best ideas. Use the
power of no to get your priorities straight. You rarely regret saying no. But you often
wind up regretting saying yes.
People avoid saying no because confrontation makes them uncomfortable. But the
alternative is even worse. You drag things out, make things complicated, and work on
ideas you don't believe in.引自 Say no by default
After our first product had been around for a while, we started getting some heat
from folks who had been with us from the beginning. They said they were starting to
grow out of the application. Their businesses were changing and they wanted us to
change our product to mirror their new found complexity and requirements.
We said no. Here's why: We'd rather our customers grow out of our products
eventually than never be able to grow into them in the first place. Adding power-user
features to satisfy some can intimidate those who aren't on board yet. Scaring away new customers is worse than losing old customers.
When you let customers outgrow you, you'll most likely wind up with a product
that's basic--and that's fine. Small, simple, basic needs are constant. There's an endless supply of customers who need exactly that.
And there are always more people who are not using your product than people
who are. Make sure you make it easy for these people to get on board. That's where your continued growth potential lies.
People and situations change. You can't be everything to everyone. Companies
need to be true to a type of customer more than a specific individual customer with
changing needs.引自 Let your customers outgrow you
The business world is full of "professionals" who wear the uniform and try to seem perfect. In truth, they just come off as stiff and boring. No one can relate to people like that.
Don't be afraid to show your flaws. Imperfections are real and people respond to
real. It's why we like real flowers that wilt, not perfect plastic ones that never change.
Don't worry about how you're supposed to sound and how you're supposed to act. Show the world what you're really like, warts and all.
There's a beauty to imperfection. This is the essence of the Japanese principle of
wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi values character and uniqueness over a shiny facade. It teaches that cracks and scratches in things should be embraced. It's also about simplicity. You strip things down and then use what you have. Leonard Koren, author of a book on wabi-sabi, gives this advice: Pare down to the essence, but don't remove the poetry. Keep things clean and unencumbered but don't sterilize.
It's a beautiful way to put it: Leave the poetry in what you make. When something becomes too polished, it loses its soul. It seems robotic.
So talk like you really talk. Reveal things that others are unwilling to discuss. Be
upfront about your shortcomings. Show the latest version of what you're working on,
even if you're not done yet. It's OK if it's not perfect. You might not seem as professional,but you will seem a lot more genuine.引自 Nobody likes plastic flowers
