

Someone Stole My Startup Idea – Part 1: Are Those My Initials? - nathanh
http://steveblank.com/2009/12/03/someone-stole-my-startup-idea-%E2%80%93-part-1-are-those-my-initials/

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patio11
_The interpreter’s face went white, and after a lot of “I can’t tell him
that,” he did._

I used to work as a translator/interpreter, among other duties, at a
technology incubator in central Japan. Technical interpreters are expensive --
the best have hourly rates comparable to lawyers. They are paid that much
because they bring in far more than their hourly in business deals saved from
disastrous miscommunication. If your interpreter is trying to wave you off a
topic, you might consider taking the advice you are paying so dearly for.
(Incidentally, we're told that the canon of professional ethics requires
translating every word without failure, so "You really don't want to say
that!" should be a pretty big red flag to you that you are about to step in
something.)

~~~
jonny_noog
I can't say I would have done any differently than he did, putting myself in
his situation, regardless of the interpreter's advice.

Handle the situation with as much diplomacy as possible once the issue has
been brought up, sure. But I'll be fucked if I'm going to sit in a meeting
while the presenter uses my slide containing a "chart I had laboured over for
months" to illustrate his company's strategy, while passing it off as their
own.

 _"We weren’t sure if we should feel insulted or complimented, but after a few
deep breaths (and a lot of kicking under the table by my head of business
development) my smart VP of business development used it as an opportunity to
point out how honored we were that there was an obvious strategic alignment
between the two companies."_

And there's an example of the diplomacy I was speaking of. I'd be fine putting
a spin like that on it if required, for the sake of maintaining the
relationship. But no way would I sit there and smile without saying a word.

~~~
ErrantX
Im not sure I agree to be honest; indeed it looks like salvaging the situation
rather than diplomacy.

In that situation they handled it really poorly and both sides lost an
incredibly amount of face. My understanding of cultural stuff in Asia is above
average but not complete: I do know enough, though, to say that a continued
business relationship was an incredibly lucky outcome all round.

~~~
jonny_noog
_Im not sure I agree to be honest; indeed it looks like salvaging the
situation rather than diplomacy._

I would tend to agree, but I guess my definition of diplomacy includes
salvaging situations. My kind of diplomacy isn't all roses and puppies.

Half my family is Asian (though not Japanese), I have a personal interest in
Japanese culture and I'm generally aware of the cultural differences between
East and West. Irrespective, I still would not sit tight in a meeting and
smile while someone passes off my work as their own, regardless of how much
face is at stake. I wouldn't much enjoy living with myself after such an
episode.

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mahmud
_Examining the slide, I pointed to the bottom right and said to our
translator, “Tell him my initials are still on the bottom.” The interpreter’s
face went white, and after a lot of “I can’t tell him that,” he did._

Perhaps a business genius in the U.S., but certainly not in Asia, specially
Japan. He gains nothing from calling someone out on their plagiarism, in their
office, during business negotiations. In fact, he has everything to lose.
There are far more subtle ways to exert yourself, and jumping out and crying
foul is not one of them.

Then he goes on to joke about Seppuku ..

~~~
csbrooks
Perhaps, but I'm just not sure I would be able to let that stand, myself. And
I tend to be a pretty calm and rational person.

Anyway, I don't think he "screamed foul", he just pointed out a fact. If it's
deeply embarrassing to the other party, that's because that embarrassment was
richly deserved, in nearly any culture.

~~~
patio11
I have asked foreign clients the following question many, many times: in case
they come into conflict, would you prefer me to choose the path which
preserves your ego or your business interests?

Most get the hint.

(A close variation of the line works on Japanese people, too.)

~~~
mahmud
In China I could be as frank as I needed to be with the business owners, they
get it. But everyone beneath them had to be dealt with via signals and
customs.

Same in the middle-east. It's an elaborate ceremony, communicating via
intermediaries and exchanging pleasantries at dinners and formal gatherings,
but as soon as you climb the ego ladder and reach the highest stakeholder you
can drop ritual and say "dude, we're fucked". Sometimes you reach a very
beneficial and logical agreement with The Man, then thinkup ways to
rationalize it and explain it to the role-playing minions below him. Tradition
and bureaucracy are often abused by selfish and incompetent people to keep
status. (Once you reach the C-level contact, I recommend that you don't cut
off his aides and minions; treat them as you have treated them before, when
you needed access to him, that way they will not consider you a threat. As an
exercise, go back to them for a few more "favors" and let them shake you up
for bottles of scotch, it makes them feel in control, and when the boss has
future plans with you, they "know" they will be treated.)

------
lsb
bit.ly stole TinyURL's startup idea!

It's the execution that matters.

~~~
scott_s
That's the mantra around here, yes. The article's author knows that mantra,
and assumes his reader does, too.

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pronoiac
Part 2 is up, & here's the article on it:

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=981167>

------
known
I think ideas _cannot_ be stolen.

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vaksel
link bait title, it's not his startup idea that got stolen, just a slide out
of his presentation.

~~~
kylemathews
And this is part 1. He said the idea that got stolen here was relatively
minor. Part 2 is a story about a more serious case.

~~~
nvn1
It's more of a 'link-bait-and-switch' title.

