Newsletter: Apple evangelist reveals how to create great products.

Hi there,

One day, while working in his cubicle at Apple, Guy Kawasaki was confronted by Steve Jobs.

Next to Jobs was a man Kawasaki didn’t recognize. Jobs asked for Kawasaki’s opinion about a potential software partner.

Kawasaki replied honestly, saying that the product wouldn’t be a good fit for Apple.

Jobs agreed.

Then, he introduced Kawasaki to the man standing next to him. He was the CEO of the software company Kawasaki just criticized.

As awkward as the moment felt, Kawasaki believes Jobs would have fired him on the spot if he’d sugarcoated his views.

Kawasaki never forgot Jobs’ test of his critical eye. From the intense and obsessive days at Apple to viral TED Talks and investing in Canva, Kawasaki has a career of identifying and creating lasting products.

In this week’s newsletter, you’ll learn how to create a product that leaves a legacy.

Founder Words

“Painkillers and supplements are both hard to create, but it’s a lot easier to sell a painkiller than a vitamin.”

- Guy Kawasaki

Founder Tools

Founder Story - Guy Kawasaki

At 67, Guy Kawasaki is still evangelizing about products. After building a tech career at Apple under Steve Jobs, Kawasaki set out on a winding career path that included founding startups, giving viral TED Talks, investing in unicorns like Canva, and writing 16 books.

Eight years after his last podcast appearance, Nathan Chan catches up with Kawasaki to distill his decades of wisdom down to the essential functions of creating a painkiller product that people love.

Watch the full interview here.

Listen to the full interview here.

3 things we learned from Kawasaki:

It’s easier to sell a painkiller product vs. a vitamin product.
A product demo is worth 1,000 pitch deck slides.
Find what customers need and work backward

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