Inside Facebook: the Facebook Book

Since Inside Facebook launched, I’ve been happily inundated with opportunities to comment on fledgling business ideas. I’ve repeatedly heard hopeful entrepreneurs say (and i’ve said it myself) don’t tell anyone who’d steal the idea, but what do you think?

I answer

1) If the idea is stealable and easily doable without your special passion, it’s probably not that valuable an idea. Guy Kawasaki goes deep on this one in The Art of the Start.
2) The idea is less important than the execution. If you execute very well, no one can catch you. Executing well requires a lot of help and outside participation. You actively prevent yourself from getting this help, if you are excessively secretive and don’t exude passion.
I have a dozen good ideas and able to execute on maybe two of them. And even then, my execution is great, because my focus is split. For example, I’m obviously passionate about my book, but I haven’t posted here in more than a week because I’m intensely pushing for an internal alpha release as CTO at mEgo.com.

So tell people about your ideas, to both get help and hone your own passion.

I’ll start! I want to build a site that helps entrepreneurs share their dreams with other entrepreneurs, and then achieve them within a supportive teamwork focused community. I’m collecting feature requirements, which I plan to post here for comment in a week or so. If you want to be involved, or get your ideas into the mix early, post a comment below, or email me privately to karel@fbbook.com. I’m eager to share this opportunity with serious and talented partners.

Using the internet to change the way law is practiced in America. Allow the free flow of legal information to the public. Using blogs to change the face of political campaigns. Using web 2.0 apps to provide true collaboration from people around the world. Provide a place where you can post a problem or issue and someone somewhere in the world can answer it. Provide DRM free music that you own and can share with whoever you want. Provide a place for budding entrpreneurs to get info on starting up their own company and provide info on how to access capital via VC’s or Angel investors.
Posted originally by Chris Johnston any comments or additonal ideas feel free to send to [cmjohnston at gmail dot com]

[”How brave, to write!  One idea fleshed out in more detail, gets more practical traction than several.” -Karel

“Karel, you hypocrite (slap!).  You have 4+ sites, all only partly done.” -Baloun]

Say enough here to get your own passion flowing, and get others excited to help you, or at least get good feedback.