photo credit: Leon Maia

If you’re an inventor or would-be entrepreneur then you’ll need to have some pretty thick skin.  The reason is that most great ideas for business are mocked and made fun of in their early stages of development.  You might doubt this assertion but it’s the absolute truth.

Consider Bill Gates, for example.  He’s now one of the richest and most successful entrepreneurs in the world, but legend has it that when he first approached his father about starting a software business he was, well, less than supportive.  “Why would anyone ever want or need a personal computer in their home?” asked the father.  Or take the example of the Wright Brothers.  Today we accept the notion of flight as a matter of course, but when the famous brothers first set out to prove that people could fly they were the subject of immense ridicule and speculation.

So the next time you cook up a great business idea don’t be discouraged if others laugh and make fun of it.  It could be a signal that you’re really onto something!