Your ego doesn't serve you
I've noticed a trend that a lot of indie hackers allow their ego to get in the way of business.
The first case, someone was on a sales call. The potential customer says they're being pinged and if the indie hacker can wait. 2 minutes goes by, and the indie hacker just quits the call, and ghosts the potential customer. All because the indie hacker felt disrespected by not being the centre of attention they were willing to burn a bridge and ensure they don't make a sale.
The second case, the indie hacker made a sale on a SaaS boilerplate, the customer was unable to get the product they just paid for and sends a not-nice complaint about how are they selling a SaaS when theirs doesn't work so well since they couldn't get the product. The indie hacker complains on Twitter and talks about refunding the customer and blacklisting them so they can never buy from them again.
In both cases, the ego just gets in the way and hurts the indie hackers actual goals. Refusing to work with someone because you felt disrespected one time doesn't help you. You've been disrespected and don't have their money. You got disrespected for free. It cost them nothing. There is a reason pride is in the 7 deadly sins, it just gets in the way and results in misery. In both cases, it was a minor thing. One was waiting for a few minutes and being polite. The other was saying sorry for the poor onboarding and giving them the info on how tog get the product.
If someone is spitting in your face and causing you lots of stress and hassle sure. But it's literally just a minor thing or you don't like how they worded something, drop the ego and carry on growing you revenue streams.
It's not a binary thing.
Your ego can also serve you and drive your forward.
And like you've pointed out it can also not serve you!
I've also noticed that in the IT industry there's lots of people who develop superiority complex which creates tunnel vision like mentioned in Iain's examples.
I think it's really about how you manage your pride. Yeah, I know you feel like on top of the world, shilling your newfound startup, but understand that your bond with it can get in the way, and your importance is relative.
People don't really empathize you just because you're the person behind it. Although I wish you all to find the right customers :)
100%. I find building something alone to be quite humbling.
Shilling it to be still even harder and more humbling; as shilling is not a nature skill for techies.
And yea the "superiority complex" is super real. As you get older, you realize though there are a million programmers and apps, and like you said; "It's all relative."
I had to go look up the SaaS boilerplate one. Choosing to shame a customer on Twitter because of a UX failure (that's ultimately the founders responsibility, not the customer) rather than help the customer get what they paid for is shocking behaviour.
I couldn't agree more with this post! As entrepreneurs, it's easy to become attached to our ideas and projects, and to feel personally invested in their success. However, this attachment can sometimes lead to an inflated sense of ego, which can ultimately hinder our progress and success.
One of the key takeaways from this post is the importance of being open to feedback and criticism. By listening to others and being willing to consider alternative perspectives, we can gain valuable insights and make better decisions for our businesses.
Another important point is the need to focus on the needs and desires of our customers, rather than our own egos. Ultimately, our success as entrepreneurs depends on our ability to create value for our customers and meet their needs.
Overall, this post serves as a helpful reminder to stay humble, open-minded, and focused on our customers. Thanks for sharing your insights!
It's essential to recognize that personal feelings and pride can sometimes cloud our judgment and negatively impact our decision-making. Allowing ego to take over can lead to burning bridges and losing potential customers. Instead, Indie Hackers should focus on building positive relationships and delivering outstanding service, even in the face of perceived slights. Ultimately, the ability to remain professional and prioritize long-term growth over momentary ego satisfaction will lead to success in the business world.
People often say things like, 'Fire your customers,' but it's important to understand the context and reasoning behind this statement. While it's true that some customers can be overly demanding or unreasonably critical, causing undue stress and strain on a business, it's essential to approach these situations with a balanced perspective. As entrepreneurs, it's crucial to distinguish between customers who may require extra attention or patience and those who genuinely impede your business's growth and well-being. Before deciding to 'fire' a customer, consider the long-term implications on your business reputation, customer relationships, and potential revenue. The key is to manage customer expectations effectively and maintain a professional demeanor while also being mindful of your own well-being and the overall health of your business. Ultimately, the decision to part ways with a customer should be strategic and well-considered, not merely a reaction to a momentary conflict.
This is especially important early on when every customer and their feedback are important. Don't get too confident, and listen to those who are a lot further along in their journey. Let's strive to keep our egos in check and continue to support each other on this entrepreneurial journey.
Having a team definitely helps in preventing such behavior. I understand their frustrations when they put their heart and soul into it, and working alone sometimes makes you blind to what's important and what's appropriate.
"it's literally just a minor thing or you don't like how they worded something"
That. I get frustrated sometimes and occasionally I let things slip. It's not my intention but damn is it a cold world out there.
Keep growing and move on.
I completely agree, letting ego get in the way of business can be detrimental. It's important to prioritize customer satisfaction and maintain professionalism in all interactions, even in the face of minor inconveniences.
well thought and written !
Well put @that_guy_iain! I completely agree!