Building 0-1
You and your ragtag team of engineers likely won’t be able to create something that is competitive with any big incumbent product.
However, you can build features, seed content, and brand it in a way that is so obnoxiously relevant for a particular group of people that their only possible reaction is “Well, fuck. You... See more
Nikita Biertwitter.comA central thesis is that all products are asking things of their customers: to do things in a certain way, to think of themselves in a certain way — and usually that means changing what one does or how one does it; it often means changing how one thinks of oneself.
A reproducible testing process is more valuable than any one idea. Innovate here first.
All things equal, a team with more shots at bat will win against a team with an audacious vision.
Nikita Biertwitter.comThe hard part about figuring out what customers want is figuring out that you need to figure it out
Just because a company is B2B doesn’t mean it can’t have the taste and style of a B2C company. People who work in companies are still people, and delightful experiences should be for everyone.
Sarah Drinkwater • How I invest at Common Magic (or, rather, things I believe to be true)
As you build newthing you will discover that building a newthing is a strange act where the harder you go about trying to do it, the harder it becomes. It will resist direct force and control. The more you relax and allow it to speak through you, however, the easier it will be.
We are an exceptional software development team. But, we now also need be an excellent customer development team. That’s why, in the first section of this doc, I said “build a customer base” rather than “gain market share”: the nature of the task is different, and we will work together to understand, anticipate and better serve the people who trust... See more

I don't have any 2024 startup predictions, but I do have a pocket guide for you ...
This was 100% inspired by YC's pocket guide.
H/T @mwseibel
Here's a common startup situation. A team busts their ass for months building the first version of their product. It's almost done. Now a big question emerges -- how do you get the first people to use your product? Hmm...
If you find yourself at this moment, then you are already in a bad... See more
andrew chentwitter.com