In This Episode:

* The most important part of your business is building the right team.* At the beginning, most people don't have a team.* Just go on "Shark Tank"'.* Bringing my flagship product to market has taken 6 years and we are not there yet.* As the idea holder, it is hard to let people into the fold. * You can't do everything yourself.* The perfect is the enemy of the good.* You need to test yourself to know what you are good at.* Where is the magic line to make this viable after it is feasible?* Most people are not honest about what they are good at and what they are really bad at.

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In This Episode

* As inventors and entrepreneurs you need a thick skin.* It's a balance of having a thick enough skin and listening to the market.* We are telling you what you need to hear.* Events and Conferences.* We go to a lot of conferences just as networking opportunities. * There are realities and externalities in attending trade shows that must be accounted for.* Networking is about starting a relationship to get into a deeper conversation.* Get proper advice from within your own particular industry.* Qualifying the feedback you receive

In This Episode: We Have 1 Metric

* We are here to talk the real lingo of business.* What does it mean to move the needle? * We have 1 metric. Get a product to market that is selling.* Know what you bring to the table and what you don't. * The idea will never get to a business without real world testing. * Qualitative vs. Quantifiable metrics. * Not listening to the market is a recipe for disaster.* Some ideas should never come to fruition.* Ask people about their failures and lessons learned. * There is no guarantee of success. * Learning to enjoy the journey.

In This Episode:

* We are talking about the future and retooling. * One of my goals was to pull the curtain back and see the reality of developing your product.* Guests didn't want to share their real stories and so it became the T and Bob show.* Now we are going to show how we take an idea through development to market.* I think the new format will reach more kinds of people and show them the steps we take. * We plan on showing every step. A realistic view of getting to market with our clients.* Whatever helps you on your journey is what we are here for.* We get asked a lot to do free work.* It's also about finding the right people to work with.* I watch a lot of content, and I am interested in the process.* We want to show every step from soup to nuts, from idea stage to finished goods.* Real customers, real products, real budgets and our time and real resources.* We are so tired of "theory experts" giving out bad advice.* It's hard for people to be honest about failure.* First Strike Commercialization.* Outro. Next Journey.

In this Episode: We are talking about Mindset today.

* I believe in "Devil's Advocate" as a model.* Imposter Syndrome vs. Dunning-Kruger.* These days I meet a lot more people who are Dunning-Kruger adjacent.* Making a billion in tech doesn't mean you know how to make a hard good. * Analysis Paralysis.* A lot of imposter syndrome comes from comparing yourself to your peers and mentors.* We are all affected by social media.* The Stoics and Memento Mori.* Every day is on the job training.* Everyone I know who has been in business for a long time is unshakeable.* Not everything is the end of the world.* Happiness is a choice.* Character is shown when everything goes wrong.* Experience does gird you against a lot of the doubts.* We are human. We fail more than we succeed.* Don't see every failure as the end of the world.* It has taken me years to change the way I view setbacks.* You have to be realistic and dictate your own mindset.

In this Episode

* What is your go-to road food?* Hockey Puck Hamburger.* My ideal burger.* Hockey Puck Filet Mignon.* It's not blood, it's myoglobin. * I give clear directions to restaurants on how I like my steak cooked.* Dry Chicken with Sauce.* Cowboy Steak.* Your steak is one step away from a leather belt.* You might have an uninformed palate.* You like coffee more if you drink it black.* Humans do not "taste" purely by tasting.* I eat everything covered in sauces.*Do you really think everyone likes "hockey puck" steak?* My whole steak is a crust.* Don't yuck my yum.* Halloween candy, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Almond Joys.* Freeze Dried Skittles.* These candies are not healthy.* Bob hates American Cheese.* Russian Cheese.* Fred the Butcher.* How does your partner eat her steak?* Love is Blind.

In This Episode:

* We recommend that every team assigns someone as the devil's advocate.* It's better to answer hard questions now in a pre-emptive way.* In a manufacturing sense, iron out the details now so it is not expensive later.* It stops the nemesis of business which is "group think".* Agreement is not always helpful. Sometimes pushback is needed.* It holds everyone accountable. We are not just winging it. * I ask people to go one step further with follow up questions.* When the idea is your baby you need outside perspectives and pushback.* Use devil's advocate to inform your designs, marketing and sales procedures.* It gets people comfortable with asking questions.* It forces you to look at real actionable data.* When your team is on the same page you can lose the "prove it" mentality.* Theranos.* You need the fundamentals of the why and the how and to listen to the market.* We are all representative of the marketplace.* Assign a devil's advocate. Their job is to try and destroy everything you say.* Qualified people are generally okay with explaining things.* You have to be okay with pushback and where it takes you.* Someone on your team should be responsible for pushback.See the many benefits of sponsoring this podcast at chrisjonesmedia.com

Research Part 2

* NAICS Codes.* What industry are you in?* This is publicly available information that anyone can use.* Motorcycle and bicycle manufacturing are a single industry under the NAICS codes.* What is your first step, macro research or the codes?* How big is your market?* Feasible, Marketable, Viable. * The code gives you the information on your industry.* I never should have said the word "code".* Don't spend any money until you can prove who your customer is.* Industry research from motorcycles to bicycles.* My first question is "How big is the market".* My first step is macro research.* The code is a super easy way to classify your industry.* Dr. Dracula.* There is no harm in getting an industry report.* There are first steps to decide if they should pursue their idea or not.* Look up industry keywords.* This is my 2 cents. Develop your research question and find out what industry you are in.* My first question to idea inventors is to ask them to self-assess.* You probably don't know about NAICS codes if you didn't go to business school.* If someone makes the exact thing you need buy it from them.* The codes are an easy way to find the industry you are in. * Know what industry you are in and define your research question.

In this episode:

* Bourbon or Scotch?* T's conspiracy theory 1.* How do you approach research?* Not scholarly research. Granola Moms. * There is a big difference between scholarly research and secondhand research.* Research should be objective.* You are creating a methodology to remove your bias from the equation.* Instagram story about high fructose corn syrup in baby food.* Research isn't going online a getting other people's opinions.* The scientific method.* A hypothesis is something you are postulating at the beginning and must be tested.* Red Solo Cups.* T's real-life example of research with his Type 57X Bike.* I have a 3-step process: Micro, Macro, and Comparative.* It's like trying to learn a sport and all the rules and lingo.* T's conspiracy theory 2.* Look at the macro level of whatever industry you are getting into.* Move on to the micro research.* Compare how other businesses in your sector work and how they buy and sell.* There are methodologies for describing industries. There are NAICS codes.* Business isn't for everyone.* What should be the first goal with research?* What is your research question? Red Solo Cups. * Use secondhand research to start.* An example of scholarly research.* Looking up articles online is very different from qualified research.* Wikipedia, Buzz Feed, etc. are just starting points but unfortunately many people stop there.* Know the specific question you are trying to answer first.* I was rude before, but I am okay with that.* Most people don't even know their market.* "You can't fix stupid; you can only numb it with a 2 by 4".

In this episode:

SXSW 2025. What is South by SouthWest?* Philly hates Yankees fans.* The Philly Bike Expo.* It's good to get out in front of people and get real time feedback. * Learn how to read the room and observe people.* We start by figuring out what our booth set up is going to be and make sure we are on brand.* Have best practices for expos and figure out logistics.* I am not sales pitchy, but I am always there to answer questions and engage.* Our goals are to observe and get to know people.* I want to learn from everyone I meet to see what I am missing.* Bring your idea or product to where your target market is and see who responds to it.* Gauge the perceived value of your product from your potential customers.* It's information gathering to see if we are on the right track.* Having a purpose and intention for going to these expos is step 1.* We always set quantitative goals at conferences and expos.* I am always looking to learn the phrases and jargon of each particular market.* Don't try to be everything to everybody.* The one thing I am always trying to figure out is their buying process.* What do the customers go to first? Figuring out their priorities changes our marketing.* Expos are hard work and expensive but can be fun and offer great opportunities.* We should do a live podcast from an expo.* Don't booth at first. Go and take notes and learn from your industry.Step up as a sponsor of the No Followers Podcast. Why? Because we go to work for you to create Active Business Systems as part of the sponsorship - to start - see chrisjonesmedia.com