The Douche Bag
Running an event is fun, especially when you’re selecting folks for a competition. At our upcoming Startup Asia event, one of the key highlights is Startup Arena, the startup pitching competition. That competition, thankfully, got quite a bit of traction. We have a couple of hundred applications so far. Some even contacted me on my mobile to apply. It is great fun to meet, Skype, and learn from fellow entrepreneurs. I must say I have learned a great deal just by going through the selection process.
イベント開催は楽しい、自分が競争者たちを選ぶ立場にいる場合は特に、である。我々の今度のスタートアップアジアイベントでの主要ハイライトはスタートアップアリーナで、これはスタートアップ企業の宣伝競争である。この競争、嬉しいことにかなりの手触りを感じている。これまでに2、300もの参加申込書を受領している。何名かは直接申し込むため私の携帯宛連絡をしてきた。起業家たちと実際に会い、スカイプ上で対談をし、そして彼らから学んでいくことは非常に楽しいものである。正直なところ、私は、競争者の選択をすることでもたくさんのことを学んだと言える。
But as you know, while some are selected, we can’t accept everybody. In fact, more than 90 percent of the applicants don’t get selected. While it is tough to select the right startups, it is far tougher to reject, especially if you know the person as a friend.
Unfortunetely I’ve had to reject a lot of startups over the past couple of weeks. Some asked for my reasons and I did my fair part to explain to them why. Some entrepreneurs have thanked me for my honest feedback, while others were less receptive, some even calling me a douche bag or an asshole (the exact words used). I don’t think I’m being one. And throughout all communication touch points I was being fair, not tough. I was also pretty sure that my tone and comments were fair and objective in this highly-competitive situation.
That is also, in my opinion, what we need in our growing Asia community — Someone that is direct and not afraid to speak the truth. The Asian culture doesn’t support that. I’m a firm believer in honest feedback. Simply because that’s the only way to understand how the users feel about the product. If you want nice words, talk to your mom, pop, girl/boyfriend. They will shower you with love.
But if you want honest feedback then find meaner people who actually care about your startups. I care and that is why I replied to people who asked for my feedback. Though I have to apologize to the hundreds of other startups who I couldn’t include but simply didn’t have time to contact one at a time.
Of course, I’m just one person, so take it with a pinch of salt. In fact, every bit of feedback given by anyone has to be taken with a pinch of salt. At the end of the day, you are the entrepreneur. You know your product best. Take the feedback as it is or leave it as it is… And then get back to work.
もちろん、私はたった一人なのであって、話半分に聞いてもらいたい。誰からのものであれ全ての意見は話半分で聞くべきである。最終的には自分が起業家なのだ。自分が自分の商品を一番良く知っているのだから。意見は無条件に受け止めるかそのまま流すか・・・その後はまた自分の仕事に戻るのみ。
もちろん、私も一人の人間なので、完全にはうのみにしないでください。もっとはっきり言えば、いかなる人のどんなフィードバックも、完全にうのみにするべきではないのです。結局は、あなたが起業家なのです。あなたがあなたの商品を一番よくわかっています。そのフィードバックをあるがままに受け入れるか、もしくはほっといておきましょう。そして仕事に戻りましょう。
一番最初にこれを訳したのですが、そのときに「~だ・~である調で」という指示を見逃してしまいました。申し訳ないです。
大丈夫です!ありがとうございます!