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Startup Exercise: What can't be solved with money?
What can't be solved with money, are the most valuable things.
Sometimes never compete on price
The difference between "low prices" as a race to the bottom or as a success story (like Amazon, Costco, IKEA, Vanguard) is in leveraging intentional weaknesses.
How to simplify complex decisions by cleaving the facts
Simplify complex decisions by separating upsides from downsides, investing in upsides, vetoing with downsides, and using an appropriate decision framework.
All pretty models are wrong, but some ugly models are useful
Identifying useful frameworks for companies, strategy, markets, and organizations, instead of those that just look pretty in PowerPoint.
Reframing "Freemium" by charging the marketing department
Freemium means high costs, low conversion, and customer feedback dominated by the non-ideal customer. Treat it as a marketing expense to ensure ROI.
The wrongness of relativism
Comparing yourself to other startups? Focus on yourself instead.
"I scratched my own itch" isn't good enough
This isn't the humble-brag you think it is; The most common origin story is also common to startups that fail. But it's a start.
Why it's nice to compete against a large, profitable company
Competing against big firms? Their revenue streams are their Achilles heel. Learn how smaller startups have a shot.
How to select your first marketing channel
When you're brand new, how do you select your first marketing channel?
Our unhealthy fixation with emulating #1
Being "undefeated" or "number 1" might be more luck than you know.
The Startup Drake Equation
Why do smart, driven founders fail, despite having great ideas and execution? This model offers an answer, and a path to increase the chance of success.
On the (un?)importance of design
You redesign your entire website, customers and employees say it's better, but none of the metrics change… Does design even matter?
"Stealth mode" and other f'ing brilliant strategies
Oh you secretive devil! The last thing you need is anyone finding out about your startup. Like competitors. Or customers.
The Important Thing -- powerful enough to override all your deficiencies
This is the reason that startups succeed despite their many weaknesses. And it's a reason to build a startup in the first place.
Explore vs Execute
The two main business modalities are more different than you expect. When you hit PMF, it's a culture-shift to switch from one to the other.
A butterfly flaps its wings and you make a sale
It is true that small changes can have enormous effects? Or is this just what optimization consultants want us to believe?
When you have nothing: How to find potential customers to interview
How to find potential customers to interview before you have a product, a website, or even a name.
Solving the Low-Budget Online Marketing Dilemma
Low on cash but need marketing results? Here are four specific things you can do to grow on a budget.
Brittle Points: How to make companies robust
Brittleness is when the company fails because just one component breaks. Learn some strategies for fixing Brittle Points.
Scars
Our emotional baggage and experience make us unique, but also serve as blinders.