How do you handle it when someone judges your startup without being asked? How do you deal with feedback in general? Now at the end of the year is a good time to think about how you can progress and develop over the next few years. What influence do other people have on you?
We have to differentiate between three groups, because feedback, judgments about your work or opinions that are simply said without you having asked for them are always evaluated very differently.
Valuable feedback
The first group are people who work with you and support you. These can also be coaches or suppliers, colleagues, and who are deeply involved in the subject matter and who know exactly what your business idea is about.
First and foremost, feedback is always a gift and you should see it as such. If the assessment is professional and factual and not personal, it is always a really good tool to help you move forward. You can learn a lot from it and I have noticed this in many of my consulting projects, but also in my own company. When I had a good feedback conversation it immediately gave me completely different ideas and I was able to continue working on new products much better after receiving the feedback.
You should keep this fact-based feedback on your work and possibly also on yourself in a special file so that you can refer back to it again and again, because it makes perfect sense to meet up again later with the person who gave you the feedback at the time and talk about it again and see how things have developed. Feedback in this form is a gift for me and I really appreciate it when people give me this feedback.
Information and time thieves
The second group is a bigger challenge for you and your startup business when you have a feedback conversation or just a conversation with these people.
For me, these people are information and time thieves, because they may come from your industry or your professional environment and absolutely want to know everything about you and your business idea. They ask you about even the smallest details of how you developed your startup idea. During such conversations, you will quickly be asked about your marketing and sales plans and all the activities you have planned for the next year.
Sometimes it's difficult to know what these people actually want from you, because the feedback starts off very appreciative and then turns into a Q&A session where you're on a hot seat, constantly answering questions with the comment. “We want to work with you so much”, “Let's have a coffee and chat “ or “Sharing is caring“.
You have to set a clear boundary here. In my hundreds of conversations a year, I've realized that business-related topics can't just be blurted out like that. Of course I also talk to these people, but I make it very clear where my boundaries are. Here too, as in all sales negotiations, it is very important to formulate a very clear “no” and “I can't tell you that” so as not to cross the line in your information area.
The large crowd of onlookers
The third group is certainly the most difficult. I call this group “onlookers” because they are people who have nothing to do with you professionally, but who feel they have to give you their unsolicited opinion on everything you do. But it always remains an opinion and is not a fact-based discussion. In today's world, where there is often a lack of facts due to the flood of information, people are quick to argue that one is always allowed to express an opinion on any topic, so that the opinion becomes the truth and is treated as fact.
This conversation is particularly difficult if, for example, you are celebrating with your family over the holidays and some uncle or neighbor spontaneously approaches you and asks about your career and activities.
"Do you really make a living from it, with your startup?"
"Is it even worth it, how do you do it?"
"This really works?"
"Wasn't it all very different in the past?"
"Today everything seems to be possible, doesn't it?"
"Wouldn't a real job in a permanent position be better, then you don't always have to chase after customers and do you even manage to sell your product to many customers?"
The list of very strange comments you can encounter during a Christmas party or a celebration with the family is endless.
So, how can you deal with this now without it becoming a major conflict and, most importantly, without it weighing heavily on you?
Receiving unsolicited opinions as a startup founder can be a challenge, especially if they lack a factual basis. Here's how you can deal with it:
Stay calm and professional: Avoid emotional responses. A calm response shows confidence.
Acknowledge the contribution: Politely thank them for the feedback, even if you don't agree with it.
Evaluate the feedback: Even if it lacks expertise, consider whether the person's opinion contains a valuable perspective.
Redirect the conversation: Thank the person for their input, but gently redirect the conversation. “I appreciate your feedback. I appreciate your perspective, but I'm currently focused on a specific goal. Perhaps we can discuss this topic in more detail at a later time."
Set boundaries: Politely decline further discussion.
“Thank you for your input. I'll keep it in mind."
Use humor (if appropriate): A light-hearted response can defuse the situation. “That's an interesting perspective. I will definitely consult my crystal ball to gain further insight.”
Clarify (if necessary): If the feedback is particularly inappropriate, gently correct the person.“I appreciate your enthusiasm, but there's a lot more to this topic than meets the eye. Let me explain...”
Remember that it is important to maintain a professional and respectful demeanor, even if you receive unsolicited advice. Ultimately, the decision on how to proceed with your startup is up to you. Trust your expertise, your instincts and the expertise of your team.
With this in mind, you can also deal with this form of feedback and should not allow yourself to be emotionally burdened. Never allow yourself to become a slave to other people's thoughts.
Unfortunately, many negative statements remain strongly anchored in the human brain, which is why I have often quickly called a colleague after such conversations and spoken to someone who really knows a lot about the topic. A professional and factual exchange helps to quickly forget having been confronted with these unobjective opinions.
Many people often put their ego in the foreground and think they have to project their problems onto you in order to put you on a low level as a beginner and startup founder because they have been working in some company for so long and everything seems to be going so well for them.
When I think about the kind of feedback I've received from all sides in this form over the last 10-15 years, I can't help but laugh at the opinions that were simply given to me unsolicited.
Over time, you think about this kind of feedback differently, you just smile about it and focus on your idea and your success as a startup founder who is going to change the world with new products, regardless of what others say about you.
With this in mind, I wish you a wonderful vacation season, Merry Christmas and a very innovative time developing your startup ideas in 2025. 🎄🤖
Comments