Have an idea for a startup, but your friends say it’s stupid? Take it as a good sign! Many companies, including Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest were called “stupid” ideas at the beginning, but look at where they are now. Benjamin Hoffman (@benhoffman_) of Medium recalls a time when these four companies were just starting out, and the barrage of negative comments pouring in.

Be honest, did do you believe that a company simplifying the exchange of photos online would become a billion dollar company? It’s encouraging to hear these stories. Many of the companies that have risen to superstar status were once perceived as never having a chance. Ignore the haters the way they did and who knows, you might be sitting on the next digital phenomenon.

We often tell people that a business doesn’t happen overnight. With the right marketing strategy and social following, you can begin to see results in a few years. But you also need to foresee trends in your marketplace. These four companies did just that by being in tune with the current market and predicted what customers would want. Pinterest, which is, as one “hater” put it, just a very expensive bookmarking system, launched in March 2010. In mid 2011 it had already acquired $10M followed by a larger round of $27M in October of the same year, valuing the company at around $200M. The idea was ridiculed by one doubter who had this to say,

Here’s the lesson: don’t sell your idea short. There’s a reason why you came up with it in the first place. Your product or service fills a void in the market right now and has the potential to grab a larger following through its brilliant concept. Have you researched your customer persona and developed a marketing plan that will reach your target audience? Keep asking yourself these questions to establish your company’s foundation. You need to stop listening to the naysayers and listen to your heart -- the founders of these four businesses did. Trust your first instinct; it’s usually the best.