Sorry, your idea is worthless…

Harsh? Maybe. But almost certainly true.

Ideas Need Action

Ideas on their own have almost no value. Everyone has them — in the shower, on the school run, in a meeting, while staring out of the window trying to look productive. The difference between an idea and something of value is action. It’s what you do with that spark that gives it weight, momentum, and meaning.

I’ve lost count of the number of times someone has said, “I had that idea years ago!” Sure — but someone else acted on it. They started, they failed, they learned, they adapted, and they built. That’s the uncomfortable truth: the world doesn’t reward potential, it rewards progress.

Stop Waiting for Perfection

If you’ve got an idea burning away in your head, stop waiting for it to be perfect. It never will be. Perfection is a stalling tactic dressed up as preparation. Start small. Sketch the thing, write the first sentence, post about it, test it, break it, share it. Fail in the open — not in the safety of your own echo chamber. That’s where real feedback and momentum come from.

And when you start, do it in a way that invites others in. No one builds something meaningful alone. The right people will find your energy, your honesty, your vulnerability in the act of starting. They’ll bring their skills, perspectives, and challenge — all of which make your idea better.

Brand Strategy Gives Your Idea Shape

If you’re starting something new — whether it’s a product, a movement, or a business — brand thinking helps turn a rough idea into a direction. It gives shape to your purpose, a story to share, and clarity around who it’s for and why it matters. It’s not about logos or colour palettes (not yet, anyway); it’s about building the foundation that makes your idea believable, relatable, and scalable.

I’ve been on both sides of this. I’ve had ideas that went nowhere because I didn’t move fast enough, and others that grew beyond anything I could have imagined — like Big Drop, which started as a tiny idea scribbled on a notepad by my co-founder, Rob, and became one of the leading alcohol-free beer brands in the world. The only difference between the two? One got acted on — and was built with the right brand strategy behind it.

Just Start

So yes, your idea might be worthless… for now. But the moment you take a step — any step — it starts to change shape. It becomes something others can see, feel, respond to. Something real.

Don’t wait for permission. Don’t wait for the right time. Just start.

And if you need help turning that spark into something tangible — something people can believe in — that’s exactly the kind of work I do. Let’s make your idea worth something.