My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
For most successful people, building a large social media following is not worth the effort and may actually be counterproductive
The Reasoning
Social media success requires turning your life into a performance, attracts unwanted attention and criticism, and the benefits (followers who don't really know you) don't outweigh the costs for people already doing well professionally
What Needs to Be True
- You already have a successful business or career
- You value privacy and authentic relationships
- You're not in a business that directly monetizes attention
Counterargument
Social media provides networking opportunities, business development, and platform for sharing expertise that can lead to valuable connections
What Would Change This View
Clear evidence that social media leads to significantly better business outcomes for established professionals, or new platforms that enable authentic connection without performance aspects
Implications for Builders
Focus on building valuable businesses rather than personal brands
Consider whether you're playing the right game for your goals
Evaluate the true ROI of time spent on social media versus other activities
Example Application
“A successful entrepreneur with a $10M business choosing to stay private rather than building a Twitter following, focusing energy on serving existing customers and partners”