What perfectionism has cost me

Trying to create the perfect product before getting validation on it, before talking to people about it, is what I think has hurt me. Perfectionism has kept me refining when I should have been moving to the next stage: finding out what people think. For an independent service business owner, that can mean putting more work into an offer before knowing if it solves a problem people want help with.

By Eric Yim. Published by Protocol Text.

Optimizing too much can delay the conversation you need

I think optimizing too much on the product hurts me. There's a level of when you should move on to the next stage. The hard part is recognizing that point when you can still see things you want to improve.

There will usually be another detail to work on. In a service business, that might be the wording of an offer, the way you present it, or another option you could add. Those details can matter. But working on them doesn't tell you whether someone understands the service or needs it.

By validation, I mean getting evidence from people who might actually use what you're developing. Do they recognize the problem? How do they handle it now? Does your proposed service make sense to them?

If you wait until everything feels finished, you postpone those questions. You can end up refining an assumption instead of checking it. That's the cost I'm talking about: continuing to work on the product before having the conversations that could help you decide what work matters.

A great product still needs contact with people

I think a great product is important. You have to have a great product, but it's not the only thing. The same applies to a service. You need to be able to do the work, and people need to understand what you're offering and why it would help them.

Talking to someone while you're developing an offer doesn't require you to sell something you can't deliver. You can explain that you're exploring an idea and ask about their situation. That gives the conversation an honest purpose without turning it into a promise.

I also think there's a balance between the big vision and the day-to-day details, between when to move fast and when to slow down. For this decision, I'd apply that balance by separating details that affect delivery from details that can wait until you've heard from people.

If you don't know whether you can do the work responsibly, slow down and resolve that. If you're rewriting an explanation again because showing it feels uncomfortable, a conversation may be the more useful next step.

An exercise for deciding what to refine next

Here's a proposed exercise for a service offer you're still developing. Write down three things: the problem you think people have, the work you could reliably provide, and the biggest thing you still need to learn. Keep each one short enough to explain in a conversation.

For example, imagine an independent service provider considering an ongoing maintenance offer. This is an illustration, not a completed project. The owner could keep refining the package, but first they need to understand whether potential customers want ongoing help or prefer arranging individual visits.

A useful conversation could start with: “I'm exploring an ongoing maintenance service. How do you handle maintenance now, and what tends to get put off?” Follow up by asking what makes the current approach difficult and what would make ongoing help worth considering.

Listen before explaining every feature. If someone describes a different problem than you expected, ask about it. If the current approach works well for them, that's useful information too.

Afterward, separate what you heard from what you inferred. “They arrange visits individually” is something they told you. “They would buy a recurring service” is still an assumption unless they gave you a reason to think so.

Then choose the next piece of work based on the uncertainty that remains. You might need another conversation, a clearer description, or more preparation before you can deliver. The goal is to give refinement a reason beyond wanting the offer to feel perfect.

Frequently asked questions

How can I discuss a business idea without sharing every detail?

Start with the customer's problem and the outcome you're considering helping with. You don't need to share every internal process to ask how someone handles that problem today. If a detail is confidential, leave it out. You can learn whether the need exists before explaining exactly how you would deliver the service.

What if people say my idea sounds good but give little useful feedback?

Treat encouragement as encouragement, rather than proof they'll buy. Ask for a concrete example: when did they last face this problem, what did they do, and what was difficult? Their experience gives you more to work with than a general compliment. Don't pressure them to confirm the answer you were hoping for.

How can I get feedback if I don't have customers yet?

Look for people who fit the situation your service is meant to address, rather than asking only people close to you. Explain that you're researching an offer and aren't asking them to commit. Ask about their current needs and approach. A small number of conversations can suggest what to investigate next, but don't assume those views represent everyone.