I Built a Business Around a Product That Didn't Sell — All Because Nobody Wanted to Offend Me Here's how to ask the right questions, to meet a real need.

Everyone said they wanted my product, but nobody bought it. Why?

Here's the context: I am currently a Ph.D. candidate who studies creativity. I explore how it works, and how people can become more creative. Companies have hired me to speak about this for years, because creativity is one of the most sought-after skills in today's job market. Then I started to ask clients: Would you want a tool to boost employee creativity? They all said yes, so I made one. It's called Bulby. But when I showed it to clients, they suddenly lost interest.

I felt stuck, confused and frustrated. I knew the product was good, so why didn't people want it? Then one day, I looked at a figurine of Einstein on my desk — and I realized my problem.