Hey Reader, There's a whisper we are seeing in SaaS, that improving productivity of your users, or automating functions normally done by users, leads to them buying fewer seats. The irony of building a fab product.... (π) We are seeing the emergence of usage-based pricing expand beyond traditional models (like API & Platform) into new areas, along with the rise of outcome-based pricing. It's not universal, it's not absolute, but it's not not happening. If Salesforce is the bellwether for the...
11 days agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
Hey Reader, StartUps are built on a foundation of assumptions. Some are spot-on. Others, pure delusion. As a founder, it's hard to tell the difference. Not because you're reckless or ignorant. You're just so deep in your solution that you lost perspective. (π) Whether you're two weeks or two years into your journey, you need the courage to continually return to first principles. Are the assumptions we made yesterday still true today? If you are pre-launch or just launched and hearing...
18 days agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
Hey Reader, The biggest lie, after the diamond industry, greeting cards, and the middle choice at the gas pump, is that you can't have it all; fast, cheap, good - you must pick two. It's a phenomenal sales slogan because it sounds reasonable, but..it's complete bullshit. (π) Turns out, the people most equipped to execute this trifecta are founders, the ones with a to-do list longer than a CVS receipt. There are two types of founders: those who make things happen, and those who wonder what...
25 days agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hey Reader, Extreme uncertainty is literally the MO of StartUp Founders. Make decisions that are hopefully on the righter side of right, praying that when you hit, the impact moves the needle. (π) There's no playbook, no perfect formula. Don't get caught up in finding the right way to do things. Just get out there and build, with a touch of structured intention. TL;DR Even gut decisions need a framework to drive resources towards actions with the potential for high impact and some level of...
about 1 month agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hey Reader, The entire journey of trying to get your StartUp off the ground is so you can delegate something to someone else. Right? That's scalability. Wrong. Dead wrong.(π) That thinking often comes from smart, experienced people who think they understand what it takes to manifest something from nothing, but they don't get that founders are a different breed. TL;DR Brian Chesky of AirBnB argues that most scaling advice he received was wrong. Instead of stepping back, he fired middle...
about 1 month agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hey Reader, Remember when you thought building the product was the hard part? Cute. (π) The second your product hits the market, a whole new attack sequence starts. Suddenly, everyone's fighting to steer you off course - including yourself. You're juggling shiny objects, must-have features, demanding customers, and new idea grenades. Straddling sales, product & operations is both your superpower and your kryptonite. TL;DR In-market? Decisions are based on facts AND intuition, not just gut...
about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
Hey Reader, Despite the predatory fundraising p*rn on your insta feed claiming you're funding ready & they can help. You likely aren't, can't & won't. So, let's pivot to what actually matters. What now? (π) Money has changed in 2024. You need fame, traction, or a bit of both. The occasional startup raises millions with neither. But that's lightning striking twice or a rich uncle that loves you. TL;DR The only early-stage metric that matters is PROOF. Can you show that you can create something...
about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
Hey Reader, Most StartUp Founders pick their solution pricing via the "dinner plan model" - "I dunno, what sounds good?" Shockingly, this approach is about as helpful to your startup & your customers as it is to your significant other. (π) How much should you charge for your product? Simple. The right amount. The right amount is the one thatβs clear, straightforward, & predictable. No surprises, no games. More right than wrong. (π) Just get your first wave of customers in the door paying an...
2 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hey Reader, You heard Product Led Growth (PLG) on a podcast and now it's your go-to-market strategy? Right? PLG is deceptive; it's delayed churn, unless you focus on Product-Led Retention (PLR). (π) XXX-Led Growth. Whether Product-Led, Sales-Led, Community-Led, or whatevs, just means your primary growth engine is driven by that function. But a growth motion without retention is like building sandcastles on the beach - epic, awesome, but gone by morning. (π) TL;DR XXX-Led Growth isnβt a...
2 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read