My most expensive mistake as a founder
I used to think:
“If the product is good, it sells itself.”
That was one of my most expensive thinking mistakes.
I came from electrical engineering.
Bachelor.
Master.
Project management.
Automotive industry.
I learned to solve problems technically.
So I thought:
- Build a good product
- Show people
- Win customers
Sounds logical.
But it was wrong.
I had an idea for electric fitness equipment at the time.
Not classic weights, but resistance through electric motors.
I tinkered.
Built.
Tested.
Presented.
At pitch events, there was applause.
Certificates too.
But investors?
None.
Why?
Because ideas are nice.
But functioning sales is better.
That was the moment I understood:
You can have the best product in the world.
If you cannot sell it, nothing happens.
And if you can do sales, even an average product works better than a brilliant product without demand.
Later, I discovered Linkedln.
Not as a social media gimmick.
But as a sales channel.
But the same applies there too:
Just having a profile is not enough.
Just posting is not enough.
Just collecting contacts is not enough.
You need a system.
A profile that builds trust.
A target audience that really fits.
Touchpoints before you reach out.
Messages that do not sound like a pitch.
Follow-ups that are not forgotten.
CompLeadly was created from exactly this problem.
Not because the world needed another tool.
But because good offers should not fail because no one systematically makes them visible.
Today I know:
A good product is important.
But a good product without sales is only a well-kept secret.
