Product Habits - Focus less on frameworks

Great Strategies Depend on Great Inputs. Here's How to Find Them.

I just did an interview with Nathan Baschez of Divinations, and it's one of my recent favorites. We focused on how I create startup strategies. I always start with inputs—observations about the market for my product. Then, I run those inputs through strategy frameworks—concepts like moats, flywheels, minimum viable products, and network effects—to help me make sense of the inputs. But here is the biggest issue I've noticed: Most startups focus too much on the frameworks, and not nearly enough on the inputs. Here's my advice on how you can change that. 

I'm grateful to Nathan for his insightful interview questions that led to this article. I really like what he's building with Divinations—if you'd like access to his high quality content, here is a special link for 60% off the annual subscription.

Freemium vs. Free Trial: Why Not Try Both?

If you're debating between offering a freemium, light version of your product or a full-access free trial, why not offer both? They both work great for achieving certain outcomes—freemium creates a big top-of-the funnel and habit loops, while free trials create predictability and deeper engagement. If you're not sure which strategy works best for your business right now, try offering both at the same time. 

Entrepreneurs Respond to Existing Demand, They Don't Create It

Justin Jackson shares his startup advice in this tweetstorm, one of my favorites this week. His main argument is that most entrepreneurs respond to existing demand, they don't create it. Even in the case of Apple products, which tend to be used to describe how companies can create demand (rather than simply respond to it), it's worth considering why the company can't replicate the success of the iPhone across all of their products. The answer: They can't define the ultimate size and shape of demand. Do you agree? 

Does Content Marketing Make Sense for Early Stage Companies?

If a startup has not yet proven that they can market and sell through at least one cold channel, and the brand positioning and messaging is still being worked out, it might be best to hold off on content marketing. Why? It doesn't matter how much traffic you drive if you are still in the nascent stages of product-market fit. This doesn't mean you shouldn't do content marketing at the early stage. Just make sure you approach the channel with realistic goals and the mindset that you are investing in a long-term asset. 

Monetization vs. Growth? It's a False Choice

With tech unicorns having disappointing IPOs over the past several years, there is a growing sentiment that companies need to focus on profitability over growth. But monetization should be connected to growth, not come at the expense of it. I appreciate reads like this that help dispel misguiding beliefs. How might you approach business growth differently if you made monetization equally as important as acquisition and retention?

The T2D3 Path to SaaS Growth and $1 Billion Valuation

T2D3 stands for "triple, triple, double, double, double." The premise is that SaaS companies can go from $1-2 million to over $100 million in annual recurring revenue in about five years. How? By ailing to spend two years tripling annualized revenue growth and three years doubling it. Here is a breakdown of what T2D3 looks like in action.

Why GitLab Uses the Term All-Remote to Describe Its 100% Remote Workforce

I talk a lot about the evolution and nuances of remote work in this newsletter, and thought this was a compelling read on the topic. We often hear about "remote-first" companies, but here is how "all-remote" is different: no company-owned offices, no location hierarchy, and more work environment inclusivity. This is why the term matters–and why terms like "distributed" and "remote-only" miss the mark. 

The Top 10 Deliverables of Product Managers

This is a must-read if you're a product manager. The PM role sits in the unique space between business, technology, and user experience, and it can sometimes be confusing to know exactly what a PM should focus on. Notejoy Founder and CEO Sachin Rekhi shares the 10 deliverables you should focus on, which will help you drive the vision, strategy, design, and execution of your product.