Read on Twitter
Happy New Year!
2 years ago today, I received a call in an airport from my would be Co-Founder. "I have a crazy idea, what do you think?"
You never really have a clue what it's like until you jump in but here are 3 things I wish I knew about early stage companies then:
2 years ago today, I received a call in an airport from my would be Co-Founder. "I have a crazy idea, what do you think?"
You never really have a clue what it's like until you jump in but here are 3 things I wish I knew about early stage companies then:
1: Be maniacal about reducing the number of days until you get paying customer feedback.
We "wasted" months in conference rooms debating — and then we got our first customer, which flipped everything on its head.
Bias towards action are very important words early days.
We "wasted" months in conference rooms debating — and then we got our first customer, which flipped everything on its head.
Bias towards action are very important words early days.
I believe @kevin said "Instagram was build by solving the most obvious problem day in and day out".
This could not be more true in the early days. Strategy is overrated and execution is underrated.
https://www.joincolossus.com/episodes/60313963/krieger-how-to-build-a-great-product
This could not be more true in the early days. Strategy is overrated and execution is underrated.
https://www.joincolossus.com/episodes/60313963/krieger-how-to-build-a-great-product
2: It is almost impossible to go too niche.
In those conference rooms I just mentioned, we chatted about all of the dozen market segments who would buy our product, for what
In reality, we should not have spent more than a few minutes on any of them besides the early adopters.
In those conference rooms I just mentioned, we chatted about all of the dozen market segments who would buy our product, for what
In reality, we should not have spent more than a few minutes on any of them besides the early adopters.
Gordon Moore, in his famous Crossing the Chasm, talks about this chasm.
The reality in the early days is that you have not earned the right to cross the chasm. Focus on those who are freakishly obsessed with your product — and trust that, if it works, more will come.
The reality in the early days is that you have not earned the right to cross the chasm. Focus on those who are freakishly obsessed with your product — and trust that, if it works, more will come.
3: Borrow credibility from others — as an intentional growth strategy.
If "no one gets fired for buying IBM" is true — then so is the opposite. Your first customers are buying a vision, or trusting signals, since your product is nowhere near maturity.
If "no one gets fired for buying IBM" is true — then so is the opposite. Your first customers are buying a vision, or trusting signals, since your product is nowhere near maturity.
To that end, @ballmatthew, @RichLightShed, and a host of others were instrumental to the early days of @AntennaData.
Find your "team" and do everything you need to ensure they're excited to fly your flag with a purpose in mind: showcasing the value of your product.
Find your "team" and do everything you need to ensure they're excited to fly your flag with a purpose in mind: showcasing the value of your product.
I've heard from many people who have a good idea but aren't sure whether it's enough to make the leap.
The reality is, the majority of the time, your idea *is* good enough to make the leap.
Whether it will work, no one knows, but whether it *could* work — almost certainly.
The reality is, the majority of the time, your idea *is* good enough to make the leap.
Whether it will work, no one knows, but whether it *could* work — almost certainly.
I loved this advice from @zachperret of Plaid: "don't die."
The razor's edge between successful & unsuccessful is even thinner than you think. Your job is to be in business to take advantage of the opportunities when they come.
https://www.joincolossus.com/episodes/39328476/perret-the-future-of-financial-services
The razor's edge between successful & unsuccessful is even thinner than you think. Your job is to be in business to take advantage of the opportunities when they come.
https://www.joincolossus.com/episodes/39328476/perret-the-future-of-financial-services
