If a Tree Falls and No One Is There to Hear It …
The Importance of Customers
My wife and I recently attended a wonderful Orlando Philharmonic Concert and had the most marvelous opportunity to enjoy Itzhak Perlman perform Beethoven’s Concerto for Violin in D major, Opus 61 with the Orchestra. For those among you who may not be familiar with Itzhak Perlman, he is undeniable the reigning violin virtuoso and enjoys a superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Mr. Perlman, born in 1945, is known and acclaimed worldwide and perhaps the most accomplished violin virtuoso of this and many other lifetimes.
Before describing the concert briefly and explaining my reasons for writing about the experience here, first a few words about the Beethoven composition performed by the Orchestra and Mr. Perlman.
Beethoven composed this Violin Concerto in 1806 during one of his most productive periods. The work was both inspired by and composed for Franz Clement, who was regarded from childhood as the most accomplished violin virtuoso of the times. Beethoven was so moved by Clement’s performances that he composed this Violin Concerto, which continues to be regarded by many as the benchmark and cornerstone concerto of the violin repertory. Indeed, the Concerto for Violin in D Major, Op 61 has become a signature performance in the hands of Itzhak Perlman. After hearing it performed by him, I understand why it has become a signature piece in his repertory.
The integration of the violin solo part within the orchestral fabric is at times subtle and others powerful, yet always hauntingly beautiful and expressive. The violin solo is given the room it needs to sing, and yet perhaps the most beautiful moments are in the quietest passages where Beethoven speaks not with the bluster of the thunder, but with the quiet voice of the Romantic poet. To hear this piece played by Mr. Perlman is to listen to the Angels play orchestral music. Surely, Beethoven and Clement were smiling at the performance and were standing with us as we recalled Mr. Perlman to the stage with our applause.
How does this performance speak to entrepreneurs? What is the important message hidden within this experience?
We have all heard the classic existential argument concerning the falling of a tree in the forest with no one there to hear it. Does it make a noise? A more practical application of this in business is – If a startup company has a great product or service to offer, but no customers, is it a business? The answer we offer to our clients and prospects is – NO!
No matter how great a musical composition, without its performance it is only uninterrupted silence, mere notes on a page. Most importantly, it is only through the accomplished performance of a great work for an appreciative audience in a venue that complements the work that the composition reaches its full potential. So it is for a startup company. While its value proposition may address a significant market opportunity and afford great potential, without customers it falls far short of not only that potential, it is merely a shell and will likely be yet another startup business failure.
We often advise entrepreneurs we speak with that without customers a startup remains little more than a hobby for the entrepreneur. Early customers provide market validation for your opportunity. They serve as early adopters and help to polish your value proposition for the customers who follow. Often, these early customers become your most enthusiastic supporters and help to earn others for business.
Investors love opportunities with enthusiastic and supportive customers, revenues, and positive cash flows. If you hope to attract the capital your opportunity requires to grow, nothing will impress potential investors more than these.
Our advice to you is to get your value proposition out and into the market. Attract, close, and then more than satisfy those early customers, whatever it takes to accomplish this. Remember to ask for their views and thoughts on your value proposition – its strengths and weaknesses, its benefits to their business, and how it might be improved. Listen to their feedback and ideas and do your best to address them. Keep pushing to earn new customers and keep them more than satisfied.
Now you have a real business. Listen and you too will hear the music followed by the applause.
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Please share your thoughts with us on this and our other postings to the Harbour Bridge Ventures Blog. If you wish, you may also contact us through our website at http:// www.HBVinc.com or at via E-mail at contact@HBVinc.com.
Thank you.
Bruce Carpenter, Principal
Harbour Bridge Ventures
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