Entrepreneurs - How do you handle criticism?

Every entrepreneur in the world has to face criticism - at the idea stage, at the 'startup' stage and even when the startup grows into a successful business. The thing comes from almost everywhere - from your near and dear ones to your customers to your own associates. I want to collect stories from entrepreneurs (on CE) who've been criticised badly. Did you use it to improve your business or your own self? Or did it make you nervous?

I'm tagging @#-Link-Snipped-# , @#-Link-Snipped-# and @#-Link-Snipped-# to share their stories / experiences. We'd of course welcome responses from everyone else.

Replies

  • Prasad Ajinkya
    Prasad Ajinkya
    If it is constructive criticism. I act on it. If it is criticism meant purely to bring me down, I ignore it.

    I was reading Soft Wars by Larry Ellison and he writes that if everyone thinks your idea is a bad one, then that idea will work!!
  • Rupam Das
    Rupam Das
    I accept criticism. It gives me an understanding of where I am going wrong. I try to review every bit of it and try to take positives from them. Remember, criticism is outcome of several things: Frustration, expectations and jealousy. So when you are business for long, you understand what you got to do.
  • Nayan Goenka
    Nayan Goenka
    Well I am in this stage right now. And many people who are near and dear to you come to you with 100 suggestions and 200 critic points. Well we have started taking both into equal consideration.

    I would like to share a trick with you how to manage this stuff. The friends who come to you with criticism have a good intention but harsh reality behind it. It is wise to fix that issue immediately. Main reason is, for you they are your friends, but when you go in market, they are normal people who might be your potential customers. So what they think is exactly what the market will think at some point. So its better to fix it before hand. For the suggestions part, there is nothing wrong in accepting the details and changing things where and when it is possible. you should always trust your instincts though.

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