However, my hunch is that many startups fall into the former category (jack of all trades) almost accidentally because they don’t have the will/vision/stubbornness/whatever to buckle down and do the latter. That is, they are not making an explicit choice, which may ultimately not be in their best interest.The reason is that delivering features people ask for is the path of least resistance. Not delivering them requires you to essentially ignore (or at least gracefully put off) huge obvious feature requests and focus diligently on stuff that seems much smaller, and to the untrained eye, perhaps trivial.And that’s the key. Are these small things really trivial or are they part of a larger product vision where you end up with a truly polished product? It’s often hard to tell, and sometimes really a probabilistic bet. You really never know if you can nail a product experience until you do.
Posts Tagged ‘quote’
Product Polish
Monday, June 20th, 2011Ideas vs Execution
Wednesday, June 15th, 2011First, they had to execute on building a great product. Next, they had to execute on building a great business. Finally, they had to execute on scaling, sustaining, and evolving a great business.
– Brad Feld in Note to entrepreneurs: Your idea is not special
What are some ways to keep your endurance up?
Monday, May 30th, 2011Opposite of what you think.
No caffeine, no fat, no fried stuff, drink a lot of water but pay attention to this:
When you were a kid and your dad woke you up at 3 in the morning and said “Son we’re going fishing” you wake up and you feel great all day.
– Dave Pensado in Pensado’s place All Q&A episode
That’s the state of mind to be in!
Masterpieces
Saturday, April 30th, 2011Shipping isn’t focused on producing a masterpiece, but all masterpieces get shipped.
– Seth Godin
The Real World
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011I don’t think that “the world” exists. I think there are lots of small worlds and you are changing your own.
Relax
Friday, April 8th, 2011To be productive is directly proportional to our ability to relax.
– David Allen
The Beauty of Disconnection
Monday, March 14th, 2011These are the moments when disconnection shows its glorious face, when life is in full force, when we are fully connected to the world immediately around us, while disconnected from the world at large.
– Leo Babauta in his book, Focus
Resistance
Monday, March 14th, 2011I like my resistance because it tells me exactly what I should do. Anything that the resistance warns me against is what I do.
The idea spreads
Saturday, March 12th, 2011What I discovered is that if you don’t do average things for average people but instead work hard to create an interesting product for the few that care, the idea spreads. I’ve been doing that ever since.
Premium, not freemium
Tuesday, March 8th, 2011So Braintree went the opposite route and charged a premium. It started with a $200 monthly minimum, which it’s since lowered to $75. “At $200, our minimum was 4 to 8 times higher than our competitors,” says Johnson. “Applying a floor helps the right kinds of customers self-select our services. After all, we’re as interested in having the right customers as they are in having the right provider.”
– Bryan Johnson in an interview with 37signals