by Hadassah Jacobs

In the colorful, short-lived saga of Poop.com, my 14-year-old self learned a priceless lesson — one I didn’t fully realize until years later.

The lesson wasn’t just about failing fast.

It was about failing to ask the right people, the right questions.

🧩 So, what is a stakeholder?

In simple terms: A stakeholder is anyone who’s affected by — or has influence over — your idea, your business, your product, or your execution. That includes customers, investors, collaborators, regulators… and yes, even your best friend’s dad whose backyard you just transformed into a neighborhood compost pit.

💡 Why does this term even exist?

“Stakeholder” came into modern business vocabulary to recognize that success doesn’t hinge only on shareholders or founders — it depends on the people with a stake in your success. Whether emotional, financial, or logistical, their input can make or break your idea.

In corporate settings, it refers to employees, customers, suppliers, regulators, and communities. In the case of Poop.com?

Vicki’s dad was a primary stakeholder.

His land. His nose. His sanity. All on the line.

And guess what? We never even asked him.

🚧 Why stakeholder engagement matters

Engaging your stakeholders early:

• Helps avoid blind spots
• Builds trust and buy-in
• Surfaces questions you didn’t think to ask
• Prevents hilarious (and humbling) public shutdowns

🤔 What questions should we have asked?

If we could rewind the clock and do Poop.com right, here are some questions we should’ve asked before laying down newspaper in the backyard:

1. Who’s going to be directly affected by this idea?  (Hint: Dad.)
2. Do we have permission to use the space, time, and resources we’re relying on? 
3. What concerns might others have — and how can we address them before we start? 
4. What does success actually look like — and who else needs to agree on that? 
5. Are we building this with people or to people?

Do we have permission to use the space, time, and resources we’re relying on?

📌 The Takeaway

Failing fast is a powerful approach — but failing to listen first is where many ideas go sideways. The next time inspiration strikes, hit pause long enough to ask:

“Who are my stakeholders… and have I talked to them yet?”

Because even a brilliant idea can’t grow if someone shuts it down before it starts.

And yes — sometimes, that someone is holding a garden hose and yelling across the lawn.