A business-y question

[Tricky Dicky]

Given the broad reachings of NSC I thought I'd seek opinions on what I would imagine must be a common problem in business.

I have an idea for a line of business. This idea is so obvious to me that there may well be a good reason why it hasn't been done before - as far as I can see, it hasn't been done, but there could be a technical reason.

Anyway, regardless of that, once I've checked my maths and written up the theory, all being well, I want to approach a number of the biggest players in this particular business market.

So, the question is, how do I generate interest from any of these companies without disclosing my idea ? I can't offer them a "taster", any clue would give it away. I'm aware of non-disclosure agreements, but I've also worked for companies who would either ignore them or have better lawyers than me. I can't copyright the idea. I may be able to patent it, but there are reasons why I may not be able to, and besides it takes too long and costs too much.

Must be a relatively common problem I would have thought, I must be missing something.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I never got anywhere with my brilliant idea ...

The world's first Inconvenience Food, CANNED LETTUCE.

 

[Goldstone1976]

You'll have to come up with a short pitch without any protection if you can't copyright it or haven't got time for a patent. No company of any standing will sign any document without having some idea of what they're going to be pitched. It's likely that they won't even grant you a meeting without some clue - why would they; you could be a total nut case. Unless you have some decent professional standing and are a "name" in the industry - if you are, your name alone could get you a meeting.

Most companies will sign a NDA to get further info and very, very few will breach them. Quality of lawyers (for a NDA) should be an irrelevance; they're completely standard documents.

The only way that I can think of that you might get meetings without a taster is by persuading someone who does have a name in your target market to make an introduction. Persuade = telling that individual enough of your idea (under NDA) to them to go "hmmm..ok, it's worth my time; I wont look an idiot by introducing him" PLUS some financial (deferred perhaps) consideration. Unless you're lucky enough to have the Bill Gates of the target industry as a mate; though if you did, you wouldn't be asking here, I guess!

Good luck!

Incidentally - why approach the industry players first? Why not get some funding and do it yourself? Keeps it confidential - and increases value if you sell it later.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I'm presuming that you can't start it off yourself & expand as you go & sell on for millions in a year or so?

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Sign up to The Apprentice.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

You'll have to come up with a short pitch without any protection if you can't copyright it or haven't got time for a patent. No company of any standing will sign any document without having some idea of what they're going to be pitched. It's likely that they won't even grant you a meeting without some clue - why would they; you could be a total nut case. Unless you have some decent professional standing and are a "name" in the industry - if you are, your name alone could get you a meeting.

Most companies will sign a NDA to get further info and very, very few will breach them. Quality of lawyers (for a NDA) should be an irrelevance; they're completely standard documents.

The only way that I can think of that you might get meetings without a taster is by persuading someone who does have a name in your target market to make an introduction. Persuade = telling that individual enough of your idea (under NDA) to them to go "hmmm..ok, it's worth my time; I wont look an idiot by introducing him" PLUS some financial (deferred perhaps) consideration. Unless you're lucky enough to have the Bill Gates of the target industry as a mate; though if you did, you wouldn't be asking here, I guess!

Good luck!

Incidentally - why approach the industry players first? Why not get some funding and do it yourself? Keeps it confidential - and increases value if you sell it later.

Come on - you're our resident MAGNATE/ Can't he run his idea past YOU, to see if you want to invest?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Xz

You'll have to come up with a short pitch without any protection if you can't copyright it or haven't got time for a patent. No company of any standing will sign any document without having some idea of what they're going to be pitched. It's likely that they won't even grant you a meeting without some clue - why would they; you could be a total nut case. Unless you have some decent professional standing and are a "name" in the industry - if you are, your name alone could get you a meeting.

Most companies will sign a NDA to get further info and very, very few will breach them. Quality of lawyers (for a NDA) should be an irrelevance; they're completely standard documents.

The only way that I can think of that you might get meetings without a taster is by persuading someone who does have a name in your target market to make an introduction. Persuade = telling that individual enough of your idea (under NDA) to them to go "hmmm..ok, it's worth my time; I wont look an idiot by introducing him" PLUS some financial (deferred perhaps) consideration. Unless you're lucky enough to have the Bill Gates of the target industry as a mate; though if you did, you wouldn't be asking here, I guess!

Good luck!

Incidentally - why approach the industry players first? Why not get some funding and do it yourself? Keeps it confidential - and increases value if you sell it later.

Thanks. You've outlined my problem in your first paragraph. Maybe NDA is the only way to go. Unfortunately, due to the nature of it, I would only have to utter 2 words to give anyone I was talking to a pretty good idea what it's about. Can't do it myself, it would need an existing player in that market to do it and some backing if it's feasible.

I'll write it up and take it from there.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Come on - you're our resident MAGNATE/ Can't he run his idea past YOU, to see if you want to invest?

Always happy to listen to ideas - invested in two generated by my sponsored sticky on here.

Sounds like he's really not keen to divulge anything to anyone though - that's gonna be a problem whichever route he goes unless he can find someone with standing in the industry.

TD: Hey, you don't know me but I've got this brilliant idea. I won't tell you anything about it though. Are you interested?
Company: Hmmm. Let me think about this. No. Come back when you can tell me something.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

TD, pm an outline of your idea to G1976. I can vouch for him. He'll not screw you over.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

TD: Hey, you don't know me but I've got this brilliant idea. I won't tell you anything about it though. Are you interested?
Company: Hmmm. Let me think about this. No. Come back when you can tell me something.

Yeah, of course I know what it sounds like, I've worked in the City for 25 years, just trying to protect myself in case it flies.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Yeah, of course I know what it sounds like, I've worked in the City for 25 years, just trying to protect myself in case it flies.

No offence intended - nor trying to teach you how to suck eggs. Genuinely - Good luck!

 

[Gazwag]

Is it a suction cup - to attach to the bottom of a flask of hot bovril

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I never got anywhere with my brilliant idea ...

The world's first Inconvenience Food, CANNED LETTUCE.

Canned Lettuce, sounds like a prog rock band.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Is it a stress ball, shaped like the head of the CEO of Network Rail?

 

[Mackenzie]

Dragons Den?

 

[tinycowboy]

I would only have to utter 2 words to give anyone I was talking to a pretty good idea what it's about.

Not monkey tennis, is it?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Dragons Den?

Nooooooo! Amusing TV, but the valuations they offer are dreadful! A local Angel network is a much better idea for seedcorn finance. DD does demonstrate to would-be entrepreneurs the types of questions any investor wants answered though, which, in a nutshell, can be boiled down to:

A) Do I think you, the entrepreneur, will make this idea fly?
B) Do I think there's a reasonable chance I will make an acceptable return on my money in an acceptable timeframe?
c) Errr, that's it.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Not monkey tennis, is it?

Oh, poo.

 

[Nathan]

I would only have to utter 2 words to give anyone I was talking to a pretty good idea what it's about.

Internet porn? Sorry to disappoint but it has already been done mate, so I have been told.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

FWIW big business is currently being held up due to one of my cats going to sleep on my laptop keyboard.

I bet Alan Sugar doesn't have these problems.