Two thoughts: The best startups are masters of asymmetric warfare -- they don't fight on the battlefield the incumbent selects. And, users often understand their problems well but are horrible at suggesting features to solve these problems.
Startup strategic planning:
+ Set a goal for rev/traffic/x that is 3 mos out
+ Figure out the top 3-5 driver metrics (eg, leads, sales mtgs, churn) needed to hit the goal
+ Pick the top 3 activities w high confidence to achieve the driver... See more