It's the idea that counts - Not the failure

No Concept, No Success

Success does not come from the mere idea - but from the concept behind it. Many start-ups fail not because the basic idea was bad, but because the concept remained immature. It is not ideas that work, but well thought-out systems: clear structures, simple processes, solutions that can be scaled and understood. Those who develop a viable concept create the basis for sustainable business success. The following examples show how companies have become successful through consistent concept work.

From Lieblingswasser to Spanx: why good ideas mature.

Lieblingswasser
Lieblingswasser, founded by Jenny Müller, produced naturally flavored water with real fruit and herbs - without any sugar or additives. Lieblingswasser failed due to high production costs and a lack of follow-up financing. Although the product was on the market, sales were not sufficient to cover running costs. What remained? The idea. And the courage to do things differently. Founder Jenny Müller continues - with new projects, new clarity. Because insolvency is not the end. Despite the failure, she continues to work on the concept of marketing long-lasting fruit.

Brotrausch
Concept: Bread mix to make at home.
Spelt. Rye. Sourdough to feed yourself. No additives, but the experience of making your own bread. The mixes were of high quality, but required some explanation. Many preferred simple or cheaper products. As a result, there was not enough demand. In the end, sales were not sufficient to keep the project profitable. These problems should have been considered in the concept. Holger Johnson says the concept needs a factor of four. Twice as good, half as expensive. Nevertheless, every experience is a building block for the next concept. The founders of Brotrausch have learned that an entrepreneurial venture must be mature in order to succeed.

A look at the “big names” shows that failures do not only affect small start-ups. Even big entrepreneurs often started with a failure.

Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington had a difficult start. Her first book was rejected by numerous publishers, 36 times in total. Her attempt to gain a political foothold also failed when she did not receive a majority in an election in California. But instead of giving up, she used these setbacks to find new paths. She realized how important digital media would become and founded the “Huffington Post” in 2005. This online news platform quickly became very successful and fundamentally changed the media landscape. Her breakthrough came precisely from learning from her failures - and the courage to start again and again.

AirBnB

Airbnb started out as a simple idea: guests sleep on air mattresses in the living room - breakfast included. But the concept failed because it offered neither trust nor comfort. The founders fundamentally revised it: they created a platform that focused on security, reviews and ease of use. You have to think through a problem in its entirety. Occasional overnight stays became a global accommodation system. The success did not come from the original idea, but from the consistent work on the concept. That's what counts.

Sara Blakely (Spanx)
Sara Blakely actually wanted to study law, but failed the aptitude test several times. Instead, she sold fax machines - a job full of rejections. But she couldn't let go of one idea: invisible underwear that wouldn't be noticed under white clothing. Without experience, capital or contacts, she developed the first Spanx prototype in her apartment. Manufacturers turned her down until one finally agreed. She worked intensively on the design of the concept. Today, Spanx is a global brand and Blakely became America's first self-made female billionaire. Her success began with many failures - and with the courage to carry on regardless.

Start-up work is concept work. If you fail, you have tried. They have had to painfully learn what is important - not capital, but a head and a concept. Avoiding unnecessary risks and fine-tuning the concept is important. A good concept needs to mature and it can be helpful to try it out.

This is why the Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition exists. So that you can work intensively on developing your concept. In addition, the Entrepreneurship Summit takes place in October with numerous speakers from whom you can learn.