Stealing a business idea?
I'm feeling pretty guilty right now because we're seriously contemplating stealing someone else's business idea and executing it ourselves.
I randomly met this person in a cafe two months ago and we now regularly meet to discuss about about web stuff and our respective ventures. My co-founder and I were originally working on a previous project that we ended up ditching and then we started brainstorming business ideas, many of which we submitted in the last YC application. This guy knew we were searching and yet every time we met he just kept giving us all the details of his website/app and how it would make money etc. This was all informal with no NDAs or anything.
Two months ago I would have never thought of stealing his idea, but a few weeks ago this guy and his partner fell through and he's now alone. I don't even think he can put this thing together and I don't think he's going to anymore even though he claims so. Given that our last venture failed, and in light of this development we're seriously considering stealing his idea. We can actually execute this idea really fast and have a pretty ingenious way to promote it too.
But we're not jerks. We feel it's wrong to do this without telling the guy. And we don't want him in our team neither. He's so passionate about his project that he probably wouldn't want to change anything, such as the name which is really lame. In terms of skills he's technical but probably wouldn't be able to code everything himself, especially the back end. But he does have a bit of money though, so he could help us bootstrap.
We need advise! What should we do? Secretly develop it similar to Mark Zuck, be honest and upfront or partner up?
How many of you have actually stolen other ideas or gotten their ideas stolen?
Thanks for your responses!
20 comments
[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 59.0 ms ] threadFrom there, its you're decision as to bring him on, or even tell him. But the speculation you're doing right now is only impeding you.
If you think he deserves a piece because it's that revolutionary, then cut him in and tell him what your concerns are with his participation. Any great partnership is based on clear lines and responsibilities being drawn. If he refuses to compromise to work with your team, (or vise versa), then you'll have tried, and your conscience will be clear to proceed, and he'll have had the opportunity to walk away.
The other poster was right. Just build something.
Talk to him. Explain to him that you think he's onto something, but that you believe your team will be better able to implement it. There's surely an agreement you can both make that puts you both in a better place. Offer to take him on in some capacity - it sounds like you value his business plan etc., so if he is valuable for the business side of the company, see if he's interested in merging in that respect. If his partner left, this might be just the opportunity you are both looking for. If he absolutely won't join, offer him 10% for the idea (if either of you succeed he's better off).
If you steal his idea, especially without trying to make some arrangement first, you open yourselves up to (a) legal issues of you succeed, or (b) perhaps worse, if you fail, you look like a total jerk. Is this idea so good that you would like to risk your reputation on it? (If so, the guy probably deserves some credit.)
I generally agree that implementation is 90% of the effort. But if your new venture will be benefitting from the discussions you've had, which I believe it's fair to assume were under the premise of you not being a jerk and screwing him over, then he deserves the opportunity to be a part of what he started.
Anyway, if you can do it, you have to do it. But as candid and stupid that may sound, I'd make sure that guy knows everything about it, either by telling him up front asap - including why he's not even considered as a partner, or I'd pass the message using anonymous means. Thing is, he'll know sooner than later anyway.
It's well documented that the effect of surprise after the fact can trigger irrational moves, while placing the subject in the observer seat, even as an outsider, might reduce the probability for an irrational act from ever happening.
In any case, it will get legal if you get successful. I'd provision for that. But I'd definitely go ahead without hiding from him.
You may not face legal repercussions, but I sure as Hell would never want to have anything to do with someone who's so treacherous, devious, morally and ethically bankrupt as to steal another person's idea out from under them. Reason: I could never trust you not to stab me in the back.
There once was a man who went to a computer trade show. Each day as he entered, the man told the guard at the door:
This speech disturbed the guard greatly, because there were millions of dollars of computer equipment inside, so he watched the man carefully. But the man merely wandered from booth to booth, humming quietly to himself.When the man left, the guard took him aside and searched his clothes, but nothing was to be found.
On the next day of the trade show, the man returned and chided the guard saying: ``I escaped with a vast booty yesterday, but today will be even better.'' So the guard watched him ever more closely, but to no avail.
On the final day of the trade show, the guard could restrain his curiosity no longer. ``Sir Thief,'' he said, ``I am so perplexed, I cannot live in peace. Please enlighten me. What is it that you are stealing?''
The man smiled. ``I am stealing ideas,'' he said.
BUT... what I personally wouldn't do - just because it would be a dick move - would be to do it behind the guy's back. Tell him what you're thinking about doing, who knows, maybe there is some synergy or what you could work together. Or not. But as long as you're upfront about it, you'll know you did the ethical thing. He might still be a bit pissed, but it won't be anywhere near as bad as just going behind his back and then springing it on him later.
>> There's an unbelievably huge difference between someone (a complete stranger) realizing this idea by themselves and running with it, versus your friend disclosing his idea/features/strategy to you in good faith and you running with it. MrBurns, there are some things in life more important than money and success, such as not screwing over someone in this way. Shows a complete lack of character. At the risk of sounding condescending, didn't your parents teach you better?
Its not just somewhat immoral, its completely immoral. As my friend who send this thread to me said, "Its one thing to compete with an idea. It's another when someone divulge massive details about everything regarding the idea, and you just come in and try to fuck them over." And yes, while execution is more important than the idea, considering the information was divulged in good faith and you're now just taking the chance to screw him over when he's down, my friend likens your justification to "saying murder is OK because stupid people are making the world dumb." Think about it. It's not OK.
If you really believe this will be a great venture, you should help this guy rather then screw him. And if you really want in on the venture, you should have a serious talk to this person about joining together if you truly realize how bad what you were proposing was, and WITHOUT any ulterior motives. Yes, while he might be too blinded by his passion to make any changes, but you never know until you try.
Your example of waiting 3 years is a valid one, the reason why the morality changes is because after 3 years he likely will care less about the idea (I mean he didn't do anything with it for 3 years, right?) because it's become apparent he doesn't care much about it, the robbing and betrayal have less of an impact, to the point where it's so much less of a deal that it's just overwritten by you friendship
The other and more important thing is - ideas are dime a dozen but it's all about execution. My issue with stealing the idea is that you are not going to be able to execute it as it will never be your true passion. You will always have that doubt. And because of that, you will not have that bullet proof conviction - so essential to success of any startup -required to transform the idea into business.
The reason the guy whose idea you are trying to steal appears stubborn is because he has convection. Just know that execution requires absolute conviction - thousands of people during execution will say how terrible the idea actually is and it will require sheer conviction to transform it into a business model.
So - my suggestion is that the guy who had the idea should be the CEO and you guys should be the cofounders.
I am not big on stealing anything. If you are smart - you will have something original. Remember cream always rises to the top. So forget about stealing and start hacking something original!