I’m known for a mind that will often go off in rather strange directions.  And today was not different.

It started with a friend on Facebook who is from India and posts all kinds of videos.

This one was an unusual one about mothers.  So I start watching the video.  And I can’t look away.  The surgeon is slicing open the abdomen then continually slicing deeper and deeper until they are able to reach the baby and pull it free.  It just kept me captivated…and a little grossed out (yes, I didn’t go to medical school so I’m a little squeamish with blood and cutting people open).

Well done video.

So later in the evening Shark Tank came on.  I haven’t watched it in a while so stuck around to see what people were promoting.

One of the businesses was basically a baby spa where the babies would get water and foot massage therapy.  The idea was that research showed that babies would develop faster with this therapy.

What was hilarious was that for the water therapy part they basically put a hemorrhoid ring (like an inflatable life preserver) around the necks of the babies and then dropped them in a tub of water as they floated around with their heads above water.

Pretty funny to watch.  If you get a chance check out Season 7, Episode 17 (not posted yet).  Shark Tank Episodes

So what is it that this episode really showed?

It is that often you can’t see the forest for the trees…or the life preserver from the baby spa.

They had developed something that had a cool video that could go viral, coupled with a good story that would sell well to new mothers.

But the problem was the business owner had ignored the buying signs in front of her. All the Sharks, and also people she’d discussed her ideas with before, had all suggested she sell the life preserver ring (that had been designed to work on baby’s small head size) independently of the spa idea.

The spa would require a lot of capital.  And she had been marketing to the wrong people (basically doctors and medical professionals who have very little influence on gaining her a mass market).  And if she had focused instead on coupling a viral video along with a good story about the benefits of baby water therapy, she could have taken it far to a mass market of new mothers.

How often do you have a good idea?

But it is packaged wrong.  Or you’ve bundled with other things that take away, instead of adding, to the value proposition.

How often do you over-complicate things or try to perfect something that just needs to be quickly test marketed to see if the idea is viable.

At a certain point you just need to get the product out and test it with real buyers.

Now figure out what you’re overthinking.  And get it into the market.

 

…and when I was searching for the Shark Tank episode, my search came up with this.  A bad search result…but a good reminder if you’re visiting the Shark Tank.

Not for the faint of heart.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL7h5xKFTNs[/youtube]