Release Version 0

A great product is often built upon a fundamental assumption. This is the lifeblood of the company. People who guess correctly will often…

Release Version 0A great product is often built upon a fundamental assumption. This is the lifeblood of the company. People who guess correctly will often…


A great product is often built upon a fundamental assumption. This is the lifeblood of the company. People who guess correctly will often become successful. But most assumptions, without luck, end up in disaster. That is why you see 9/10 startups fail.

So why, then, do people wait until it is too late to test their assumptions.

Founders are afraid of rejection

A founder’s product/company is his/her baby.

awhhh

No-one wants to find out that their child is not the smartest kid in class. But do we need not send kids to school because we are afraid to hear that answer?

No. And the same applies to business. In fact, in the fast-paced startup world, the fear of rejection is even more damaging.

Software has to move quickly and iteratively.

In software, especially, it usually works best to get something in front of users as soon as it has a quantum of utility, and then see what they do with it. Perfectionism is often an excuse for procrastination, and in any case your initial model of users is always inaccurate, even if you’re one of them. — Paul Graham

The best founders know how to balance their core identities with needs to pivot. They know how to accept criticisms and trace the core problems.

So start with v0…Because you cannot afford to wait any longer.


Thanks for reading! I am Jordan Gonen: I love helping people solve hard problems.

Email: jordangonen@wustl.edu

Twitter: @itsjordangonen

Tagged in Business, Ideas, Startup

By jordangonen on March 8, 2016.

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Exported from Medium on February 17, 2018.