The Power of Brutal Honesty: Why Your Startup (or Your Business) Needs It

As an aspiring entrepreneur, I recently embarked on the journey of pitching my startup idea to potential supporters. Armed with a meticulously crafted deck full of information, financials, and compelling stories, I felt confident that my brilliant, but untested, idea would wow everyone.

Now, I had worked on this for about a year, but the initial idea sprung from reflecting on 20 years of work. I showed my deck to my wife, (*insert giggle), and of course she loved the idea, and continued to be proud and supportive. I shared it with a couple close people that I have known for years, and holy shit! I am really on to something here! It's pretty unanimous. The feedback was so positive.

Then I showed it to my brother, Michael. He was the perfect guy to get this in front of. He is a tech investor, worked at big shops like AWS , Microsoft, Yahoo! And he has an amazing new podcast with his wingman Raz. I could't wait for his validation, and support.

I wasn't expecting it but his brutally honest feedback was exactly what I needed.

The Reality Check

This is not a campaign for Michael to become "Brother of the Year" or anything. But what he did for me, is exactly what he does with others who work with him, or get coached by him. Unlike the supportive nods and encouragement I have previously received, and quite frankly expected, he didn't mince words. He pointed out the flaws in my presentation, highlighted where I was guessing, and explained how this approach could actually harm my chances rather than help. His brutal honesty was hard to hear. But it was also necessary. You know that thing called "Tough Love"? Yeah, I was at the buffet table and he was heaping scoops of it on my plate.

I mean, come on man! I had read all the blogs about pitch decks, VCs, TAM, SAM, SOM and then some, you know the drill. I built moats, I had my "Why Now" and "Why Me", and why not continue into forecasts, and penetrations, and burn rates. And I worked hard to make sure I was conservative, and humble, when I reached the "ASK". And I had no fancy transitions, which is hard to resist in Keynote.

The Developer's Interrogation

Next, I spoke with a pair of wicked smart developers. More than developers actually. Entrepreneurs, experts, exits. These guys know their stuff. Battle tested across decades in high stress, high reward industries. But I was armed with my iPad, and I had cut out half of my deck, because of well, Michael. So now it was really just the idea, looking for validation.

Mind you I think in hindsight, it was I that was looking for validation, not so much the idea. After all, I already knew it was brilliant. My friends had told me so, many times. I think I wanted to hear, "This is amazing".

Instead of being impressed by my beautiful deck, they asked tough questions that challenged my core assumptions. They questioned my market understanding, the validity of my initial target market, so what really is my ICP, and whether I truly knew what I was getting into. It was uncomfortable, but incredibly necessary.

Embracing the Hard Truths

Initially, I could have responded negatively to this feedback. It's not easy hearing your "brilliant" idea picked apart. However, I realized that this honest, unfiltered feedback was exactly what I needed. It forced me to confront the weaknesses in my pitch and the gaps in my planning.

The Pitfall of Emotional Support

While sharing your startup idea with close friends and family can be tempting, it often leads to a false sense of security. Most loved ones, wanting to be supportive, will tell you your idea is amazing. They're emotionally invested in your success, which can cloud their judgment. And yours.

Seeking Unbiased Opinions

Here's my advice to fellow (very early stage) entrepreneurs: Seek out brutal honesty. Talk to strangers who have no emotional ties to you or your success. Find industry professionals who aren't afraid to challenge your assumptions. Look for the people in your network known for their candor.

The Value of Brutal Honesty

Brutal honesty:

1. Exposes blind spots in your planning

2. Challenges you to defend and refine your ideas

3. Prepares you for the tough questions investors will ask

4. Helps you build a more robust and realistic plan

Moving Forward

Embracing brutal honesty doesn't mean discarding your vision. It means refining it, strengthening it, and being prepared to defend it. It's about building a startup that can withstand scrutiny and emerge stronger. It also shows you a different side of brotherly love. Michael knew its not what I wanted to hear, but he said it anyway. And for that, my brother, I am grateful.

Remember, in the world of startups, a comforting attaboy is far more dangerous than an uncomfortable truth. Seek out those brutal truths – your future self will thank you for it.

Or better yet, talk to my brother.