Product Strategy

Founders spoke to a median of 30 potential customers to validate their idea before committing.

To develop a winning strategy, you have to get three things right:

1. ☝️ The actual strategy


2. 👏 Articulating the strategy


3. 🤝 Acting on the strategy

a talented leader identifies the one or two critical issues in the situation—the pivot points that can multiply the effectiveness of effort—and then focuses and concentrates action and resources on them.”

When thinking about pricing, the best advice is to charge more than you think you should.

Qualities of well-articulated strategy

1. Short


2. Memorable


3. Is explained with framework or a metaphor


4. Leverages the rule of three


5. Is easy to find (and share)

Ingredient 1: The problem is important to people

There need to be a lot of people willing to spend a lot of money to solve the problem. Most startups fail not because the idea isn’t good but because the market for the solution is just too small. If you want to build a venture-scale business, a rule of thumb is that there needs to be a clear path to... See more

There are four signs your idea has legs:

1. People pay you money: Several people start to pay for your product, ideally people you don’t have a direct connection to


2. Continued usage: People continue to use your prototype product, even if it’s hacky


3. Strong emotion: You’re hearing hatred for the incumbents (i.e. pain) or a deep and strong emotional

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Qualities of great strategy

1. Problem-oriented : Clearly identifies the problem


2. Insight-driven : Rooted in insights, both quantitative and qualitative


3. Actionable : Outlines concrete actions/investments that will solve this problem


4. Focused : Has a small number of high-leverage bets


5. Cohesive : Create a clear path from the problem to the solution