hate, ship, love: a product-driven state of mind

The Product-Driven The Product-Driven STATE OF MINDSTATE OF MIND

Garry Tan // cofounder, posterous.comGarry Tan // cofounder, posterous.comSEATTLE STARTUP DAY 2010SEATTLE STARTUP DAY 2010

1 // 1 // HATEHATE

Focus on solving Focus on solving problemsproblems

Most things are solved pretty poorly.Most things are solved pretty poorly.

Avid TechnologiesAvid Technologiesby Bill Warner (1987)by Bill Warner (1987)

Being useless in new ways does not make yours fundamentally different from the previous useless products.

// Paul Buchheit, creator of Gmail and Friendfeed

2 // 2 // SHIPSHIP

Ship a quantum of Ship a quantum of productproduct

Posterous at launch in 2008

Amazon.com in 1994

Facebook in 2004

Why a quantum of Why a quantum of product?product?

Don’t boil the ocean. Don’t boil the ocean.

Don’t be an island. You don’t know what will Don’t be an island. You don’t know what will work and what doesn’t until it’s out there.work and what doesn’t until it’s out there.

You can’t optimize using analytics if you You can’t optimize using analytics if you haven’t shipped.haven’t shipped.

You can’t start the viral clock.You can’t start the viral clock.

Real artists ship.Real artists ship.

ShippingShipping

It solves the problem. It is what we are It solves the problem. It is what we are here for.here for.

Everything else is just window Everything else is just window dressing.dressing.

3 // 3 // LOVELOVE

We’re not building cars, We’re not building cars, we’re throwing awesome we’re throwing awesome partiesparties

Fanatical Customer Fanatical Customer SupportSupport

Answer every email.Answer every email.

Feel the pain your users are experiencing.Feel the pain your users are experiencing.

If one person emails you, there are 10 or If one person emails you, there are 10 or 100 other people who have failed there. 100 other people who have failed there.

BE THANKFUL. They are doing you a favor.BE THANKFUL. They are doing you a favor.

Fix it ASAP.Fix it ASAP.

Study of Usenet New Posters

Of newcomers who post and get no reply -- 16% came back.

Those who do get a reply (even one!) -- 26% came back.

What a 10% difference in growth rate will do in 24 months....

HATE HATE the problemthe problem

SHIP SHIP the productthe product

LOVE LOVE your usersyour users

The Product-Driven The Product-Driven STATE OF MINDSTATE OF MIND

Thank you!Thank you!

Feel free to contact me atFeel free to contact me at

garry@posterous.com