Phillip Rather’s Post

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Founder and CEO of Musical - ex Meta / FB / IG - Mental Health Crusader

“Build an MVP…just get something out there and get feedback” is conventional startup wisdom, but I don’t think it applies universally and definitely not so much today. With so many vertical SaaS companies built over the past 4 years, and so many more that can be built on top of AI + APIs, a feature or one core use case may not be enough to survive. Getting users by being great at one thing isn’t exactly hedging your bet when features can be built in record time. Workflows or user experiences that connect to various products and offerings are more likely to resemble platform plays that have been the biggest winners in web2, such as Meta and Salesforce. You can replace feedback on live code with product research and interactive prototypes before you start and build flexibility into the use cases. Below is a provocative headline we may not totally agree with, but to me it’s clear I’d rather be a platform play with a big swing and some hedge in the bet, than betting the house you will get the first feature right or have the time and money living in a niche with limited scope to pivot.

Parker Conrad says founders have been building software wrong for the last 20 years | TechCrunch

Parker Conrad says founders have been building software wrong for the last 20 years | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com

Demarius Edwards

Curious + Connective | Driven by Collaboration and Creative Problem Solving

4mo

This definitely opened up my mind. There’s so much value in a platform that users don’t want to leave because it meets a lot of their needs. Build an ecosystem where the user feels seen/heard and they build trust in you!

Sami Ullah Khan

Helps Ai Startups & Real Estate To Get online Growth as a Digital Marketer. 3+ Years Experience in the Field. Co-Founder @AdTrend. Over 100+ successful clients served at Fiverr and LinkedIn.

4mo

completely agree that building a platform play with a flexible user experience is the way to go in today's market. With so many SaaS companies popping up, it's important to differentiate yourself and offer a comprehensive solution.

Sean McIlrath

Outcomes | CXO level engagement

4mo

That’s 💯 correct - you cannot scale and capture with a bucket play.

Soccer as a Service

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