I was talking to a fellow founder today about the lessons we have learned. It is always interesting to go back and reflect on lessons learned.

Over the last 18 months, I have learned a whole lot about building a consumer product. The biggest lesson I have learned is this:

There are interesting ideas, and then there is the reality of what people want.

The reality of what people want always wins out. An idea is only good if it touches this reality. If there is a gap between your interesting idea and reality, the idea is a bad idea.

I’ve often found myself lured by the trap of interesting ideas. I don’t know if all entrepreneurs have this problem, but I surely have. I think a big part of it stems from my experience in academia where novelty is rewarded with publications.

In the real world, novelty means almost nothing.

What matters is:

1. Whether there is a market for your product,
2. Whether your product satisfies this market,
3. Whether you can build this product, and
4. Whether you can get it into the market.

And by market, I mean people. There have to be actual people out there that need your product because it dramatically changes their lives for the better.

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P.S. This is post number #68 in a 100 day blogging challenge. See you tomorrow!

Follow me on Twitter @alexshye.

Or, check out my current project Soulmix.