I always say that it’s not the good idea that matters, but whether the idea gets realized at all.

Whenever I sit down to talk with someone, it quickly becomes clear that they have a potential business, project, or product idea in mind that they plan to pursue someday when the opportunity arises. These ideas usually end up sitting in a drawer.

When working with startups in the incubator, one of the first things I learned was that we primarily invest in people, not ideas. We looked for teams that had the drive to turn any idea into reality.

But why is it so difficult to bring dreams to life?

There are, of course, many reasons, but in my experience, one of the strongest is that the creative process and execution often require two different personality and skill profiles. Idea generators are typically creative visionaries capable of imagining new and innovative things. Implementers, on the other hand, are organized, analytical, and detail-oriented. Both roles are indispensable, but they are rarely found in one person. Unfortunately, while coming up with an idea is significant, it doesn’t amount to much without practical execution.

Successful projects require someone who can structure and realize ideas. This person can be a project manager or product manager who understands the processes, keeps tasks on track, schedules work, and ensures continuous communication among stakeholders. Often, the idea generator lacks these skills or is simply too busy (for example, as a developer writing the startup’s software or a musician composing songs) to pay attention to every detail. This is when an experienced implementer becomes indispensable.

One of the main reasons projects get stalled is that idea generators do not recognize in time that they need this type of help. I have seen several startups realize this only when an investor pointed out the need for management in the company. The more successful startups generally took this advice, but I have also seen many fail because they believed they could handle everything themselves.

Realizing a dream requires not only professional knowledge but also continuous focus and commitment. Project managers ensure this focus and commitment, mobilize all resources for success, respond to changes, conduct negotiations, and create an environment where the idea generator can bring their vision to life.