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Ask HN: What to do when you're "too early?"

7 points by randall ↗ HN
It's a common axiom in the startup world: "Being too early is the same as being wrong." I'm a product guy (mediocre coder) with some ideas on how I think video is going to evolve. The problem? Structurally, there are some existing elements that haven't yet been solved and, I think anyway, will impede the progress of video[1].

My passion is enabling anyone to create TV quality productions on a less-than TV quality budget. Rather than developing ideas into a startup too early, I'm instead focusing on working with other startups, getting a Master's in Professional Comm[2] and enhancing my poor coding skills by pushing some ideas into code form.

Since I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels like they see a trend before it's fully developed, I'm wondering if there's any wisdom for people who are too early. I'm not someone who wants to start startups just to start them, but instead I'm focused specifically on the world of video, and how I want it to progress. Are there any words of wisdom to help someone who's waiting for an ecosystem to mature?

Asides: [1]- I think the structural issues are all production related, ie waiting for DSLRs to mature to a point that they're feasible for most people to use, and increasing upload bandwidth. On the distribution side, video player frameworks / HTML5 / EC2 have taken care of a lot of the encoding / distribution hurdles.

[2] - The Master's will help me experiment more with the presentation of video, rather than give me some marketable credential, in my view.

[3] - If you think you want to change video to be better, and make it so anyone can create awesome quality video content, we should be friends. email friends@vidplusplus.com so we can pay attention to each other's projects.

2 comments

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curt
I was in the same boat as you, but in the apparel/fashion industry. The whole crowdsourcing, bespoke(custom), and mass customization movement which is now starting to take-off, I began six years ago, before anyone else. The technologies I developed are still cutting edge and solve most of the problems the industry startups face today. At the time the technologies were far too advanced and disruptive.

So I waited, started another company, and now I'm trying to reenter the industry. Looking for a start-up which is in the best position to use my technology and learn from my mistakes. I'm trying to avoid going at it on my own since I know what I'm good at, which is the operations/product side. Which also happens to be the side that generates the most problems, problems that I've (or you) solved.

Sometimes the best option is just to wait instead of flushing time and money down the toilet. Then when the time is right have the technology ready to launch so you beat everyone else to the market and have everything in place.

rsepassi
Why not just keep pushing the edge of what's currently possible, and keep a catalog of the more advanced ideas that you can revisit from time to time to potentially begin executing on? For the ones you identify as still too advanced, specifically identify the pieces you still need. Judge whether or not you (or a team you know/could put together) could develop any or all of those pieces. If so, do it. If not, wait. In the meantime, constantly ask "What's the best way to solve this problem given what I can do today?" and do whatever the answer is.