Audience-First Products — David Perell

1. Start with empathy to see a real need. Not an invented one, not “How can I start a business?” but, “What would matter here?” 2. Focus on the smallest viable market: “How few people could find this indispensable and still make it worth doing?” 3. Match the worldview of the people being served. Show up in the world with a story that they want to hear

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- Ideally, you want to have control over your audience communication platform (so start an email newsletter!)

I think I've stumbled onto the future of building startups. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. It's 2 AM. I'm editing a podcast, questioning every life decision that led me here. I've already burned through hundreds of thousands on this thing since 2021. Zero monetization. Just burning cash. My business partner's probably thinking I've lost... See more

Build an audience All companies have customers. Lucky companies have fans. But the most fortunate companies have audiences. An audience can be your secret weapon. A lot of businesses still spend big bucks to reach people. Every time they want to say something, they dip into their budgets, pull out a huge wad of cash, and place some ads. But this ap

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1. Start with empathy to see a real need. Not an invented one, not “How can I start a business?” but, “What would matter here?” 2. Focus on the smallest viable market: “How few people could find this indispensable and still make it worth doing?” 3. Match the worldview of the people being served. Show up in the world with a story that they want to hear

... See more

We’re moving into a creator economy that values discernment over noise. Where your perspective — not your productivity — becomes the differentiator.

The future won’t belong to those who can post the most, but to those who craft with clarity, filter with intention, and design with depth.

Taste isn’t about aesthetic alone — it’s your ability to recogni... See more