Product Habits - Is every idea taken?

Finishing What You Start

It seems intuitive that when you finish projects you start, it will make you and your team more productive and predictable. Yet, so many of us work on multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, not realizing how much it slows us down. This article does an excellent job of quantifying the impact of unfinished work. After you read this, you'll be more convinced of the power of focusing on one thing at a time. 

Lessons From a Startup Pivot

Last week, a Slack App called Abbot launched on Product Hunt. The app helps teams scale their customer conversations. Co-founder and CTO Phil Haack wrote about some of the big lessons he and his early team learned about launching and pivoting a startup. This is a worthwhile read for anyone else in the early stages of building a company.

Comparing Yourself to Others Is Fine

People will commonly say you shouldn't compare yourself to others. I agree with the author of this article that it's not necessarily sound advice. Instead of avoiding comparison, practice introspection and awareness. Let your judgments about others be a guide and motivator for your growth. 

What Product-Market Fit Feels Like

One of the best ways to measure product-market fit is customer retention cohorts. In other words, how long do your customers stick around? It's a valuable metric to avoid conflating short-term user acquisition with long-term sustainable growth. In the end, though, PMF might just come down to a feeling. 

Is Every Idea Taken?

Someone recently posted on the Indie Hackers forum that it feels like startup every idea is taken these days, and even niches are already cluttered with competitors. The responses are interesting and present hope for anyone who feels devoid of good ideas in a startup-saturated world. What are your thoughts?  

How To Advertise to Developers

No one loves ads, but developers are a notoriously tough crowd for marketers. Generally, they don't love being sold, especially in "traditional" ways. So how do you overcome this marketing barrier if you're building a product for developers? Here are some helpful, actionable campaign ideas worth trying. 

How Much Should Graphic Designers Worry About DALL-E 2?

New AI tools like DALL-E 2 have many designers questioning their job security. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote that while he believes AI will create many new jobs, it's "important to be honest that it's increasingly going to make some jobs not very relevant." It's hard to say precisely how things will take shape in the future, but I still lean toward believing there will always be a place for creative jobs in this world. 

How the Public Market Impacts Private Market Valuations

Public market valuations often govern private market valuations. And historically, private companies with similar metrics as public ones will have a lower valuation overall due to a lack of marketable securities, limited financial audits, and a smaller revenue base. Make sure you consider the relationship between public and private valuations when making your fundraising plans.