Remember that you don’t have anything to sell at this point; your role is to investigate. This is a great position to have when talking to people in the market. You are interested in creating something new, wanting the input of others. You will be surprised when you take this approach at how many people open their door to you. Make sure you approach them to learn, and make sure you focus on listening. Creative interpretation of data, people, companies and markets will help you become a better problem solver and negotiator. Both are crucial to your company’s successful implementation of your business plan.