When Entrepreneurs Should Ignore Advice

Entrepreneurs are often times bombarded with advice – some of it useful and some of it destructive. It can be disconcerting to hear feedback from people that don’t understand your project or your vision. And it can be frustrating to face rejection from potential investors, partners, or customers.

Of course, comments that “That’ll never work” can also become the motivation for even more determination.

So in that spirit, ReadWriteWeb put together a list of the some of advice that, thankfully, other smart folks ignored.

– “Children just aren’t interested in Witches and Wizards anymore.” – Anonymous publishing executive to J.K. Rowling, 1996.

– “Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” – H. M. Warner, co-founder of Warner Bros. 1927.

– “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” – Ken Olson, Founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977.

– “We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” – Decca Records executives rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

– “You better get secretarial work or get married.” – Emmeline Snively, Director, Blue Book Modelling Agency, to Marilyn Monroe in 1944.

– “The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty, a fad.” – The President of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford’s lawyer not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903.

– “The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys.” – Sir William Preece, Chief Engineer, British Post Office, 1878.

Photo by innoxchange.

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