Taking Feedback Like an Entrepreneur

Feedback. It’s something writers thrive on and dread in equal measure. But what if we could learn to work with feedback by studying the pros? And no, I don’t mean professional writers and authors.

Last year, I found a fantastic article from Allison Wojtowecz about what the artist can learn from the entrepreneurial mindset.

It wasn’t until last week that it hit me: writers can also take a page from the entrepreneurs’ handbook on receiving feedback and criticism.

Let’s rewind to the start of this revelation: a chamber of commerce meeting. The presenter was a local entrepreneur who currently runs multiple successful business. (For clarity’s sake, we’ll call him Mr. E — short for entrepreneur.)

Along with his current business success, Mr. E appeared on Shark Tank a few years ago. His company was selected out of roughly 70,000 applicants — a pretty impressive feat considering the odds.

During the talk, Mr. E spoke about his experience on Shark Tank. Essentially, he and a business partner presented a subscription-based business with around one hundred highly loyal subscribers and a good monthly revenue.

However, the most interesting part of the talk revolved around the feedback Mr. E received from the Sharks and his response to that feedback.

Critiques from a Shark

In Mr. E’s words, the feedback he received from the Sharks sounded a bit like this:

1st Shark: You don’t have enough passion for your product.

2nd Shark: I like the idea, your business model looks good, but you don’t have enough subscribers.

3rd Shark: Your idea is horrible, the business is a mess, and you’re going to starve.

4th Shark: I want to fund it — but I’ll only go in 50/50 with another Shark.

The entrepreneur summed up his responses as:

• Our target market has a need for this product, not passion.
• Appreciate the feedback, we knew it might be an issue. Thank you.
• Gee, thanks. Next person?
• Great! Let’s work on it.

Then, came time to speak to Mark Cuban, the final Shark up to fund the business. Negotiations went well until Cuban asked a question Mr. E wasn’t prepared for:

“What happens when the business reaches twenty million dollars?”

At this point, Mr. E figured, “Well, we’ve made it.”

Apparently, Cuban wasn’t impressed. The end result? The product wasn’t funded through Shark Tank. And Cuban left Mr. E and his business partner with one last bit of advice:

“You’re not thinking big enough. Think bigger.”

How the Entrepreneur Responded

In the talk, Mr. E admitted the lack of funding was disappointing. And of course the harsher criticism was hard to swallow.

Yet, Shark Tank wasn’t quite the end of Mr. E’s journey. The company was eventually picked up by another business as a result of being on the show.

Most people might be inclined to go back to working a day job after the experience Mr. E had on Shark Tank. But instead of letting the funding fall-through discourage him, he decided to start another business almost immediately after selling his first venture.

Out of all of the feedback the Sharks had given him, one piece of advice stuck with him as he worked to build his new business:

Cuban’s “Think bigger.”

Mr. E realized that Cuban was right — he hadn’t thought big enough with his Shark Tank company. So with renewed determination, he applied the advice to his newest venture. In fact, Mr. E stated that “Think Bigger” is his mantra for all of his businesses. And thus far, he’s seen a good bit of success in his new ventures.

So with that case study in how an entrepreneur takes feedback wrapped up, let’s take a look at what a writer can learn here.

The Lessons for Writers

FIRST: Know your target audience.

In business, there’s constant talk of “product/market fit.” In Mr. E’s case, his product filled a need, but also provided some other benefits to subscribers. Much like buying the latest and greatest toothbrush: you may not get excited over buying it, but the “extras” are nice to have once you’ve bought it.

Mr. E didn’t need overwhelming passion for his product because his target market didn’t have overwhelming passion, they had a need. Because he knew his product/market fit, he could respond to Shark One’s advice appropriately.

Yet in writing, both fiction and non-fiction, we tend to forget our product/market fit. No matter what kind of writing we do, we’re writing for a target audience. Fans of a specific author. Readers interested in a certain topic. Readers of a particular age. Readers who have struggled with certain challenges.

We can’t ignore this in seeking feedback. While it is a good practice to seek out varied readers for feedback rounds (especially with larger projects like books), accepting their feedback blindly is not a good practice. Consider the source first.

If someone who is solidly in your target audience tells you they think you should change a certain aspect or that they disliked a concept, you should probably listen carefully.

But if someone completely outside your target audience suggests radical changes that would completely alter your writing, you may need to pause before taking it.

Of course, certain professionals are able to step outside of their personal preferences to give helpful feedback. However, the professional’s feedback should not change the core of what you’ve written.

So when you’re looking over feedback, keep your target audience in mind.

SECOND: Don’t take criticism personally.

Look at the advice from the third Shark. This is the one-star review or the cut-down comment in business form. It’s ruthless, blunt and absolutely unforgiving.

Now, look at the entrepreneur’s response.

He didn’t get into an argument with the Shark. He didn’t throw a fit. (Okay, he may have thrown a fit in private, but quite frankly I think that’s fair game for anyone receiving such harsh feedback.) He didn’t let it discourage him in his negotiations with another Shark.

Instead, he shrugged it off and moved on to the next opportunity.

Writers, we’ve all heard it a million times: you can’t please everyone. But are we really absorbing the truth there?

Because if we were, we might understand that we’re going to wind up with bad reviews and dissenting commentary, some valid, some not. That people are going to point out problems in our writing. That some people may be outright jerks in providing feedback.

Maybe then we would be able to take writing feedback a bit better. Instead of letting the negative reviewer/commenter get under our skin and infuriate us or worse, send us spiraling into writer’s block (because it happens, right?), we could look for the feedback that could help us improve — even if it’s harsh or impolite in phrasing — and discard the commentary that’s rude merely for the sake of being rude.

So try not to take the harsh feedback too personally. Yes, you can feel frustrated and even angry over it. But don’t stay that way. Step away from it if you have to and give yourself time to cool off. Then come back. Shrug off the feedback that’s spiteful for spite’s sake. Then see if any of the tough-but-legitimate feedback could help you improve.

Look for the next opportunity rather than dwelling on the criticism.

THIRD: Know good advice when it hits you in the face — and act on it.

Once you’ve weeded out purely negative or spiteful feedback, it’s time to look into the helpful but neutral or helpful though negative feedback.

Did you notice which bit of Shark advice stayed with Mr. E? That’s because Cuban’s feedback was the perfect advice given Mr. E’s situation.

Yes, Mr. E could have let his disappointment over the funding fall-through influence his opinion of Cuban’s advice. He could have refused to take it into consideration completely.

He didn’t. He recognized the advice was sound and from a credible source who was trying to help him. So he ran with it.

The same needs to apply to your writing. Recognize when someone has given you excellent feedback and act on it. Use it as opportunity to learn, especially if the feedback is coming from someone who A. probably knows more about the subject than you and/or B. is giving the feedback in the spirit of helping you improve (as opposed to feedback given simply to tear you down). And most importantly, try to stay objective.

I don’t know of anyone who thinks of receiving critiques as fun, but if you’re actively seeking to improve, it’s absolutely necessary. And I believe that all of us have a gut instinct that knows when feedback has hit right on the mark.

Sure, the feedback may hurt, especially if it’s given in a less-than-tactful manner. Though it is much easier said than done, try to separate your emotions from it. My best advice here is to take time away from it. Give your emotions some time to dull down, then try to work with the feedback.

Another helpful tactic: if you have a close relationship with the feedback-giver (who is sincerely trying to help you improve) or if the reviewer is truly an expert, try to meet with them one-on-one to discuss the feedback. In the case that the feedback was only written comments, being able to talk it over can be a huge help. I suggest face-to-face meetings when possible to limit potential for misinterpretation.

Approach the meeting with curiosity. This is not about being combative or giving the reviewer a piece of your mind. Instead, your goal is to understand why the reviewer gave the feedback they did and if there are other ways you could improve.

Have an open mind. Chances are you’ll come away with a brand new perspective and more ways to grow as a writer than you could imagine.

And always, recognize good advice and put it into action.

There is one last “bonus” lesson entrepreneurs can teach writers. And that’s persistence. Mr. E didn’t give up after his first funding fell through. Instead, he tried again.

As writers, we should all strive for the same perseverance. Don’t let the rejections, the critiques or criticisms stop you from writing. Keep learning, keep improving and you’ll get to the destination you have your eye on.

Happy writing!

Enjoyed this read? Then check out my SavvyAuthors class, Writing in the Real World. This in-depth course on getting your mindset set right starts March 11th, 2019. Register by March 4th and receive $5.00 off your registration!