By Ricardo Lemos 
Many companies use traditional market research methods to discover consumer trends and desires and then develop products and services to meet those needs. The modern entrepreneur must be a visionary, someone who uses his creative imagination to his advantage to develop new consumer dreams, he is ahead of his time to envision a new need. In this way, he will discover a new consumer market and be a pioneer in his niche.
That’s why I want to share with you a thought from Steve Jobs, published in his biography by the brilliant writer Walter Isaacson.
Walter Isaacson in conversation with Steve Jobs wrote in his biography:
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During our conversations, there were many occasions when he spoke about what he would like his legacy to be. Here are some thoughts, in his own words:
“My passion was to build a lasting company where people felt empowered to make great products. Everything else was secondary. Sure, it was great to make money, because that’s what allowed us to make great products. But products, not profits, were the motivation. Sculley reversed those priorities so that the goal became making money. It’s a subtle difference, but it ends up meaning everything: who gets hired, who gets promoted, what gets discussed in meetings.”
“Some say, ‘Give the consumers what they want.’ That’s not how I see it. Our job is to find out what they want before they want it. I think Henry Ford once said, ‘If I had asked the consumers what they wanted, they would have said, “A faster horse!”’ People don’t know what they want until you show it to them. That’s why I never use market research. Our job is to read things that haven’t been printed yet.” (WALTER ISAACSON, 2011).
There is a saying that goes: “The first to arrive drinks clean water”, so don’t let anyone destroy your ideas, put them into practice now, invest in your life project, believe in yourself and your ability. Incredibly, the people who destroy our ideas the most are those closest to us, such as friends, spouses, children, girlfriends, parents, grandparents, etc. Many people say: “it won’t work”, “you’re crazy”, “don’t spend money on it”, “it’s a waste of time”.
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What he really meant…
When Steve Jobs said, “Move away from market research,” he was emphasizing his belief in innovation driven by vision and intuition, rather than reacting to existing customer preferences or trends. Jobs had the insight that customers often fail to articulate what they want because they lack the context or imagination to envision products that don’t yet exist. Rather than relying on market research feedback, Jobs advocated a proactive approach in which visionary leaders anticipate needs and create innovative solutions.
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Key Principles Behind Jobs’ Philosophy
- Innovation Beyond Customer Expectation
Jobs believed that transformative products come from anticipating customer needs—not simply responding to what customers think they want. For example, before the iPhone was introduced, most consumers would not have imagined a device that combined a phone, Internet, and music player in such an intuitive and revolutionary way. Rather than improving existing products based on customer feedback, Jobs focused on creating something entirely new. - The Limitations of Market Research
Market research often focuses on customer preferences for existing products or incremental improvements. Jobs argued that this approach inherently limits creativity and innovation. He believed that market research could tie companies to the present rather than allowing them to think freely about the future. - Vision-Driven Creation
For Jobs, great products were born from the vision and intuition of a talented team, not from surveys or focus groups. He relied on understanding human behavior and designing products that people would find irresistible when they tried them, even if they couldn’t articulate their desires beforehand. - Emotion and experience over data
Jobs emphasized the emotional and experiential aspects of products, which often cannot be quantified in traditional research. He prioritized creating products that resonated with users on a deeper level, believing that this emotional connection would drive success.
Examples of this philosophy in practice
- The iPhone
When Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, there was no consumer research calling for such a device. Jobs and his team envisioned a future where people wanted a device that seamlessly integrated multiple technologies into a sleek, intuitive form factor. - The iPod
Likewise, the iPod wasn’t the result of market research demand. It grew out of Jobs’s understanding that people wanted a simple, enjoyable way to take their music library with them, even if they hadn’t explicitly expressed that need. - The Macintosh
The Macintosh computer revolutionized personal computing by focusing on simplicity and a user-friendly interface. Jobs famously said, “People often don’t know what they want until you show it to them,” underscoring his belief in leading customers to possibilities they hadn’t considered.
Balancing Vision and Research
While Jobs’ philosophy is inspiring, that doesn’t mean market research is irrelevant. Many companies benefit from understanding consumer behavior and preferences, especially in markets that are already mature or saturated. However, Jobs’ approach demonstrates that true innovation often comes from a willingness to take risks, trust your intuition, and think beyond current consumer expectations.
Conclusion
When Steve Jobs said, “Move away from market research,” he was advocating creativity, intuition, and bold leadership in innovation. He challenged the idea of relying solely on consumer feedback to guide product development, emphasizing that visionary products often come from anticipating desires that customers don’t yet realize they have. Jobs’s philosophy serves as a reminder that the greatest breakthroughs often come from leading the market—not from following it.
Get out of this psychological trap, don’t listen to criticism and don’t give up. Believe in your idea, set a goal plan and stick to it. When you reach your goal and achieve your long-awaited success, all your loved ones and friends will say “you were right!”