Part 6/12:
A recurring theme in the interview is the importance of maintaining an open, curious mindset. Mike advocates for creating a "big funnel" of ideas—highlighting Thomas Edison’s prolific patenting as an example of relentless experimentation. Edison’s long tail of patents, including some bizarre inventions like an “evil” talking baby doll, demonstrate that not all ideas will be successful; what matters is the volume of home runs.
He underscores the necessity of “falling in love with your customer, not your product.” Constant customer engagement, research, and iteration are crucial. Mike suggests using tools like Kickbox.org, an open-source ideation-to-market platform, to systematically develop and validate ideas.