The one thing that most entrepreneurs lack is ideas. Every week I have new ideas for products and businesses. You are probably the same. Many ideas aren’t worth exploring, is that the problem?

I was shocked when the best year ever leaders edition was launched last year. was hugely successful. I thought that a version suitable for leaders would be a natural fit. This is not the case. After high development costs, and an rushed to market, only one unit was sold.

I wish that I had Pat Flynn’s It Fly! book. It would have helped me save thousands of dollars and saved me a lot of pain.

2 WAYS ENTREPRENEURS DIE WRONG

Entrepreneurs often make mistakes in one of these two ways.

1. They achieve great success, but then they burn out or give up because the business does not align with their personal interests and talents. (It wasn’t my problem when I was reading the leaders edition.
2. They fail horribly because they rush to build a project and don’t know what they are building. (That was my problem.

Although they look like they could be at odds, they both stem from the same problem: trying not to have a plan before you launch your business. Will This Fly? addresses these two failures.

LAUNCHING AFTER A PLAN

Pat uses the metaphor of a paper aircraft. He starts the book with a description of how he and son used to fold planes.

Pat carefully folded his plane according to a simple yet effective method. His son, however was so excited he started to fold his paper in any direction. He finished his paper and had a plane. However, it was not one that could fly.

Perhaps you can relate. I sure can. Can It Fly? can help. It will teach you how fold your plane to get your big idea off-the-ground.

How?

THE DREAM FILTTER

Pat takes readers through a series to increase their chances of success. These exercises, many of which are enjoyable, act as a filter that helps entrepreneurs realize their entrepreneurial dreams.

I have simplified them by breaking them down into three main stages.

1. It must be defined. The first stage involves defining your product. It’s possible to start with the customer, and their needs. But we don’t. A great idea can just hit us one day. A process is needed to size it up.Pat’s critical insight about this is “Your Unfair Advantage.” It refers to what you bring to the market that is unique and true to your product.

   When I talk Life planning, my motto is to help people get started with themselves. It’s just like the instructions on how to put your air mask on before you take off. Only you can help others if your own functioning is good.

   It’s the exact same idea here. If your business ideas aren’t based on the unique value you provide, they won’t work. You’ll lose enthusiasm or lose heart.

   Pat knows that this isn’t his problem. He said, “A lot of people have asked me how I get so much done.” “My mission is clear,” I say.

2. Make it better. Next comes refining the big idea. Pat guides readers through several exercises that can be used to aid in this process. But the purpose is very simple.

   You can communicate your big ideas clearly by refining them. Why is this important. This stage is all about sharpening your thinking and tightening up the plan. It requires you to talk about it.

   Sometimes we want to guard our brilliant ideas until it’s fully formed. That’s understandable. For success, feedback is important, especially early in your career.

   Our brilliant ideas may not work out so we might be able to save lots of time and move on. They might even be improved. But, without feedback, even negative, we wouldn’t know.

   It is only delaying the inevitable. The market will eventually supply feedback, positive or otherwise.

3. Try it. Finally, test it. Pat has some useful insights on how you can get the market size and scope that you desire.

   Pat’s system has a genius feature that allows you to leap past self-doubt. There are a lot of uncertainties in business.

   If you would like to introduce more products, ask specific questions about your customers’ preferences. Don’t ask. Sell.

   Do you think anyone knew that iPod owners wanted one before Steve Jobs introduced it? Pat shows how Pat can help readers do the same with their products. Jobs was confident in his market research. He advised that people listen to each other, but that they should trust their numbers.

   Chapter 18 contains case studies that will show you how and what type of testing is possible.