Engineer needs help starting a company

Posted on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 9:43AM by

Jeff |

6 Comments

Andy writes:

I have a degree in Industrial Engineering and have come up with a couple of products that I would like to use as a base to possibly start a business.

I have many, many questions. But most of all, is there some sort of consultant or similar service that a person wanting to start a business can hire to help them through the steps of opening a business? What would be the title of such a person/company?

Here's the first thing you need to do: Pick up the phone, and start calling the people that would be likely customers for these products. Explain your situation (like you just did for us), and ask them what they think. Ask them if there are changes, if there are better products, how these products effect their business.

Far, far, far too often (and that's not far enough!), new entrepreneurs make the idea of thinking product first, customer second. That could not be any more backwards. You need to try and talk to a good dozen+ potential customers to get a sense for what the product should be, why it matters, what will make them buy it, how will it be priced, who sells it to them, etc, etc.

Here's one piece of wisdom to stick in your back pocket and refer to often: Customers hold all the answers. Use them.

You'll be surprised how many people will open up to you. People love entrepreneurs, and many will be excited that you've even asked for their advice. Do all that first, and you'll have a better product, a lot more knowledge, and a hot list of sales leads for when you do get it ready to go.

If you are really concerned about limited liability, tracking expenses, and intellectual property at this point, slap together a quick LLC from LegalZoom and be done with it. You can worry about changing business structures later. Right now, you need to just get out there and talk to as many potential customers as possible, before you set off on developing a product that isn't quite right.

Here's a related post I did a while back when someone asked about using an invention submission service. It's a similar issue coming from a different direction, but my answer is very similar: talk to customers first, develop the product second.

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Reader Comments (6)

Another point about talking to customers:

http://steveblank.com/2009/03/20/supermac-war-story-2-facts-exist-outside-the-building-opinions-reside-within-–-so-get-the-hell-outside-the-building/

April 23, 2009 |

Jay S

That story could very well be a word for word recap of what happened when I became SVP of Marketing after Corvigo was acquired. Great article. Thanks!

April 23, 2009 |

Jeff

This is a great post. It is a very nice blog too. I add it to my favorites. Thank you

September 9, 2009 |

telephone engineer

It’s great to read from your site.Thanks for the posting.

September 9, 2009 |

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