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title: "My most expensive mistake as a founder — CompLeadly Blog"
description: "A good product alone does not win customers. Learn why founders need visibility, trust and a clear sales system to turn ideas into real demand."
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[Blog](https://compleadly.com/blog)

[Lead Generation & Outreach](https://compleadly.com/blog/category/lead-generation-outreach)

# My most expensive mistake as a founder

July 3, 20262 min read

![Sebastian Andes, Philipp Krapp & CompLeadly Team](https://media.compleadly.de/media/8b720e679e2f2b08cc017d1938d026c62e625a21790c6df1284c2d4075cb3582-2.webp)Sebastian Andes, Philipp Krapp & CompLeadly Team

Last updated on September 28, 2026

![A bald man with glasses and a beard in a light blue shirt rests his chin on his hand and smiles, with a board of handwritten notes on product and sales behind him and a window overlooking skyscrapers](https://media.compleadly.de/media/c1b7a160113daf5279332a06f4a661fba39047a85a870093f43c938bd065cef6.png)

---

Table of contents

[Because ideas are nice.](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#because-ideas-are-nice)[Later, I discovered LinkedIn.](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#later-i-discovered-linkedin)[CompLeadly was created from exactly this problem.](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#compleadly-was-created-from-exactly-this-problem)[The same mistake in hiring and job hunting](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#the-same-mistake-in-hiring-and-job-hunting)[Today I know:](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#today-i-know)

// contents

[Because ideas are nice.](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#because-ideas-are-nice)[Later, I discovered LinkedIn.](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#later-i-discovered-linkedin)[CompLeadly was created from exactly this problem.](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#compleadly-was-created-from-exactly-this-problem)[The same mistake in hiring and job hunting](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#the-same-mistake-in-hiring-and-job-hunting)[Today I know:](https://compleadly.com/blog/my-most-expensive-mistake-as-a-founder#today-i-know)

I used to think:

“If the product is good, it sells itself.”

That was one of my most expensive thinking mistakes.

I came from electrical engineering.

Bachelor.  
Master.  
Project management.  
Automotive industry.

I learned to solve problems technically.

So I thought:

1. Build a good product
2. Show people
3. Win customers

Sounds logical.  
But it was wrong.

I had an idea for electric fitness equipment at the time.

Not classic weights, but resistance through electric motors.

I tinkered.  
Built.  
Tested.  
Presented.

At pitch events, there was applause.

Certificates too.

But investors?

None.

Why?

## **Because ideas are nice.**

But functioning sales is better.

That was the moment I understood:

You can have the best product in the world.

If you cannot sell it, nothing happens.

And if you can do sales, even an average product works better than a brilliant product without demand.

## **Later, I discovered LinkedIn.**

Not as a social media gimmick.

But as a sales channel.

But the same applies there too:

Just having a profile is not enough.  
Just posting is not enough.  
Just collecting contacts is not enough.

You need a system.

A profile that builds trust.  
A target audience that really fits.  
Touchpoints before you reach out.  
Messages that do not sound like a pitch.  
Follow-ups that are not forgotten.

## **CompLeadly was created from exactly this problem.**

Not because the world needed another tool.

But because good offers should not fail because no one systematically makes them visible.

## The same mistake in hiring and job hunting

“Good people will find us” is the recruiting version of the same mistake. A good vacancy without active outreach is an ad the right people never see, because they aren’t looking right now. For job seekers the mistake is called “my CV speaks for itself”. It doesn’t, as long as it sits in the pile with everyone else’s. The system above works in both cases: the right audience, touchpoints, a message without a pitch, one follow-up. CompLeadly runs that chain from a list you built in LinkedIn Recruiter, in Sales Navigator or in the normal people search: profile visit, connection request, opener, follow-up. Recruiter searches need a Recruiter licence, and the free version covers 2 connection requests a day as a basic function with a daily limit. Recruiters will find the setup on [our recruiting page](https://compleadly.com/use-cases/recruiters), job seekers in [10 common LinkedIn mistakes when job hunting](https://compleadly.com/blog/10-common-linkedin-mistakes-when-job-hunting-and-how-to-avoid-them).

## **Today I know:**

A good product is important.

But a good product without sales is only a well-kept secret.

‍

---

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![Sebastian Andes](https://media.compleadly.de/media/8b720e679e2f2b08cc017d1938d026c62e625a21790c6df1284c2d4075cb3582-2.webp)

[Sebastian Andes](https://compleadly.com/blog/author/sebastian-andes)

Managing Director · CEO

Marketing coach & business consultant. An experienced entrepreneur and marketing strategist, he has been co-building CompLeadly since 2019.

[LinkedIn – Sebastian Andes](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-andes/)

![Philipp Krapp](https://media.compleadly.de/media/5f21a7708967b449194687bb2101d4f657472eae4f1382d605d6904a027aab22-2.webp)

[Philipp Krapp](https://compleadly.com/blog/author/philipp-krapp)

Managing Director · CTO

Software engineer & app developer. An innovative software developer, he has been co-building CompLeadly since 2019.

[LinkedIn – Philipp Krapp](https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-krapp/)

![CompLeadly Team](https://media.compleadly.de/media/9109d0d881666addb60c3164d0302e5f499991f811381c2c8d17b8fb37e2f9e9-2.svg)

[CompLeadly Team](https://compleadly.com/blog/author/compleadly-team)

We build CompLeadly so LinkedIn outreach stops being a matter of luck. Our content team writes up what actually works in real campaigns.

// keep reading

## You might also like

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