An idea is fragile. If you’re trying to turn it into a tangible project, part of your job early on is simply to strengthen it enough to survive. Overthinking is the greatest threat to its survival.

When my wife and I were making The Consistency Journal, we focused on getting the writing and design ready. We ordered the first sample within a couple of months. 

To me, that’s the moment the idea felt strong enough to survive. We had a proof of concept. It’d need more energy from us, of course, but it wasn’t going to disappear on its own. It wasn’t just an idea anymore; it became real. The next several months, we took this sample with us and asked for feedback from people. We needed to switch printers and order three new samples. Each one made the idea stronger.

Even now, we have a very simple, non-optimized, go-to-market approach: we set up a store with Shopify. We texted friends and family. I emailed my mailing lists and posted at LinkedIn. That’s pretty much it.

The only activity I’d add into the mix, possibly, is selling some journals hand to hand. I’ve suggested this advice to a couple of friends lately (one was looking for design clients, another was making a bag for construction workers), and it’s useful.