Article 
Self-Assessment 
Video 
July 28, 2014
Set Your Idea up for Success
Rachel Salaman
All Posts, Expert Interview, Problem Solving, Project Management, Strategy
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All Posts, Expert Interview, Problem Solving, Project Management, Strategy
It’s a sobering thought that, according to Scott D. Anthony, less than one percent of ideas launched by big companies have any real impact.
Anthony recently talked to Mind Tools about his new book, The First Mile, in which he shares lessons from his many years of experience as an innovation adviser and investor.
In it, he offers a straightforward process for nurturing your idea through the perilous early stages, when so many promising concepts fail.
One of his key messages is to make sure that you don’t mistake uncertainty for fact, or projected high performance for actual success. In other words, keep your head focused on reality for the whole of the "first mile."
In this audio clip from our Expert Interview, Anthony explains the best way of using planning and evaluation tools such as financial forecasts.
Listen to the full interview ¦ Install Flash Player.
If you’re taking a new idea from paper to market, you’ll get a lot from Anthony’s book. You can hear him talk about his "first mile" experiences in our Expert Interview podcast.
Question: What challenges have you encountered when moving forward with a new idea? How do you stay on track and make sure it succeeds in the market?
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I have already read “The First Mile” by Scott Anthony. It was a truly exceptional book on setting ideas up for success. There are loads of excellent lessons there that will positively help you reach your goal with your ideas. You will also learn a lot from his years of experience as an innovation adviser and investor. I can say that Mr. Anthony is a great mentor by reading his book. Thank you so much for sharing this article with the audio clip from your Expert interview with Anthony. It was a pleasure to listen about his thoughts about this incredible book.