So: seek out feedback, don't dismiss it, and don't call the person giving feedback an idiot. Did anyone really learn anything they didn't already know from this? I'm calling linkbait.

The post was culled from my current experiences starting Happy Stuff. So far friends, family and new people I meet are exceedingly enthusiastic about our project. I love hearing how great we are, but I want to hear the bad with the good, the side that too often overlooked.

For the part concerning feedback, I've seen a ton of douchy founders, and want to avoid being one of them.

Disclaimer: I'm the author of the post.

PS - I'm sure the interwebs are full of things you already know ;)

it's not just your friends - it's everyone that has an interest. Take all things said to you and ask "what's their angle". (and that 'angle' might that they love you dearly and don't want to upset you)

looking back I reckon an awful lot of good advice and focus on our part came from our repeated (and usually unsuccessful) attempts to get early funding. Investors tended to point at what they saw as holes which forced us to think about that - either to show to ourselves they were wrong or to see that they were right and sort it out.