How to Go From -1 to 0

good ideas emerge later in brainstorming because they are less obvious. If something seems obvious to you, it is probably obvious to others, and there are likely good reasons why incumbents remain unbeaten or the problem unsolved.

Many people treat ideation like polishing a gemstone. They become protective of the thing that brought them into -1 to 0 or overly attached to the first shiny object they discover. This is not the time to fixate—focus comes later. Early on, you are probably polishing a rock.

It is tempting early on to overindulge in “research” (we use quotation marks here to distinguish how founders typically use the term from how an actual research scientist would understand it). Research is dangerous because it feels more productive than it is. Reading up on the competitive landscape, market dynamics, or new technical advances can pr... See more