A thread of 80+ amazing ideas on product, marketing, startups, remote work and life skills by Hiten Shah (@hnshah):
1/
Sometimes, the best thing for you happens in the worst possible way.
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Sometimes, the best thing for you happens in the worst possible way.
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The biggest opportunities for growth are often disguised as pain.
The biggest opportunities for growth are often disguised as pain.
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Time is never wasted if you learn from it.
Time is never wasted if you learn from it.
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The fastest way to learn is to act like you know nothing.
The fastest way to learn is to act like you know nothing.
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Letting go. One of the most impactful life lessons we all get to experience in our own personal ways.
Letting go. One of the most impactful life lessons we all get to experience in our own personal ways.
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Learning is a lifelong pursuit.
School is only one of so many different ways to learn in life.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a lifelong learner, you are.
Learning is a lifelong pursuit.
School is only one of so many different ways to learn in life.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a lifelong learner, you are.
7/
Build something people want to tell their friends about.
Build something people want to tell their friends about.
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How to Innovate 101
1. Talk to people to find their most painful problem 2. Create a unique solution to solve that problem 3. Make sure people love the solution and recommend it to others 4. Get your solution in the hands of more people with the problem Don’t skip any steps.
How to Innovate 101
1. Talk to people to find their most painful problem 2. Create a unique solution to solve that problem 3. Make sure people love the solution and recommend it to others 4. Get your solution in the hands of more people with the problem Don’t skip any steps.
9/
Timeless business advice that’s easier said than done:
Know your customer better than anyone else. Then apply what you know with maniacal customer obsession, which never gets old. Create repeatable & scalable systems that grow a culture of customer obsession within your team
Timeless business advice that’s easier said than done:
Know your customer better than anyone else. Then apply what you know with maniacal customer obsession, which never gets old. Create repeatable & scalable systems that grow a culture of customer obsession within your team
10/
Learn to ask great questions.
Learn to ask great questions.
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People will jump through a lot of hoops and friction to use your product if the value proposition aligns with a really timely and strong need for them.
People will jump through a lot of hoops and friction to use your product if the value proposition aligns with a really timely and strong need for them.
12/
For any product, word of mouth can create a massive moat and competitive advantage.
Word of mouth growth based on a consistent best-in-class core product experience creates long term tailwinds.
For any product, word of mouth can create a massive moat and competitive advantage.
Word of mouth growth based on a consistent best-in-class core product experience creates long term tailwinds.
13/
Signing up for and using a lot of products on a regular basis is the best way to learn how to build great products.
It’s like you literally start developing a taste for experiences that are good, bad, average, mediocre, frustrating, etc...
Signing up for and using a lot of products on a regular basis is the best way to learn how to build great products.
It’s like you literally start developing a taste for experiences that are good, bad, average, mediocre, frustrating, etc...
14/
Product *and* distribution. The answer isn’t one over the other.
Product *and* distribution. The answer isn’t one over the other.
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I was speaking to a room full of first-time founders today. I asked each person to share their #1 challenge. Half of them said, “there is too much to do” or some variation of that. My response was to tell them that they need to find the one thing worth focusing on right now.
I was speaking to a room full of first-time founders today. I asked each person to share their #1 challenge. Half of them said, “there is too much to do” or some variation of that. My response was to tell them that they need to find the one thing worth focusing on right now.
16/
Startup life can be summed up in three steps: 1. Find problem 2. Fix problem 3. Go back to step 1
Works for every thing you need to do in a startup. Growth is determined by a combination of how fast you can go through the steps successfully and how long you can keep at it.
Startup life can be summed up in three steps: 1. Find problem 2. Fix problem 3. Go back to step 1
Works for every thing you need to do in a startup. Growth is determined by a combination of how fast you can go through the steps successfully and how long you can keep at it.
17/
Finding the right problem to solve starts with understanding your customers.
Nobody says I wish I talked to less customers. There aren’t any hacks or shortcuts to this.
Go talk to your customers.
Finding the right problem to solve starts with understanding your customers.
Nobody says I wish I talked to less customers. There aren’t any hacks or shortcuts to this.
Go talk to your customers.
18/
Here are a few traits I highly value in Product people:
Extremely self-aware
Obsessed about details
Constantly seeks feedback
Lifelong learner
Insatiable curiousity
Opinionated yet non-judgmental
Biased towards action
Here are a few traits I highly value in Product people:
Extremely self-aware
Obsessed about details
Constantly seeks feedback
Lifelong learner
Insatiable curiousity
Opinionated yet non-judgmental
Biased towards action
19/
How do you measure product/market fit?
- Word of mouth and referrals
- Quantitatively via retention
- Qualitatively via surveys
- Unit economics and profitability
- Other forms of “fit”
Not in any particular order.
How do you measure product/market fit?
- Word of mouth and referrals
- Quantitatively via retention
- Qualitatively via surveys
- Unit economics and profitability
- Other forms of “fit”
Not in any particular order.
20/
Retention is the single biggest quantitative indicator of product/market fit (PMF).
Strong retention is required for product/market fit.
Retention is the single biggest quantitative indicator of product/market fit (PMF).
Strong retention is required for product/market fit.
21/
Startup people get obsessed about their work and can burnout as a result.
Healthy obsession starts with personal habits that prevent you from burning out.
Startup people get obsessed about their work and can burnout as a result.
Healthy obsession starts with personal habits that prevent you from burning out.
22/
Starting a business teaches you how to get things done with very little.
Growing a business teaches you how to be data-informed.
Scaling a business teaches you about yourself.
You’ll never stop learning.
Starting a business teaches you how to get things done with very little.
Growing a business teaches you how to be data-informed.
Scaling a business teaches you about yourself.
You’ll never stop learning.
23/
If you’re obsessed with the customer & delivering massive value at every touch point, they will tell their friends. Much easier said than done.
Living and breathing your customer’s problems is how to start. Then you have to execute like your customer’s lives depend on it!
If you’re obsessed with the customer & delivering massive value at every touch point, they will tell their friends. Much easier said than done.
Living and breathing your customer’s problems is how to start. Then you have to execute like your customer’s lives depend on it!
24/
This product advice won’t ever get old:
When you have something people just have to tell their friends about, you’ve got a product that spreads through word of mouth. Thats classic virality. People telling other people without any prompting.
This product advice won’t ever get old:
When you have something people just have to tell their friends about, you’ve got a product that spreads through word of mouth. Thats classic virality. People telling other people without any prompting.
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Word of mouth doesn’t come from...
Growth hacks
Small tweaks
A/B tests
Machine learning
Beautiful design
Unicorn status
Venture capital
Product vision
Word of mouth is a result of a product created out of pure customer obsession.
Word of mouth doesn’t come from...
Growth hacks
Small tweaks
A/B tests
Machine learning
Beautiful design
Unicorn status
Venture capital
Product vision
Word of mouth is a result of a product created out of pure customer obsession.
26/
Product development requires extreme attention to detail.
They don’t teach you this in school.
Product development requires extreme attention to detail.
They don’t teach you this in school.
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A seemingly small change in the way you position a product can have a massive impact on who decides to sign up and how long they use it for.
A seemingly small change in the way you position a product can have a massive impact on who decides to sign up and how long they use it for.
28/
The brand experience starts before people experience a product.
The real magic happens when the product experience transcends the brand experience.
When people’s impression of a brand improves *after* they experience the product.
The brand experience starts before people experience a product.
The real magic happens when the product experience transcends the brand experience.
When people’s impression of a brand improves *after* they experience the product.
29/
Choosing a product ship date is like predicting the weather.
Choosing a product ship date is like predicting the weather.
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You can always build less to ship product faster.
You can always build less to ship product faster.
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Building a product means saying no to your own desires and prioritizing customer needs instead. If you don’t know what they need, go find out. If you talked to them and still don’t know, ask different questions. When you don’t know what customers need, you’ll likely end up..
Building a product means saying no to your own desires and prioritizing customer needs instead. If you don’t know what they need, go find out. If you talked to them and still don’t know, ask different questions. When you don’t know what customers need, you’ll likely end up..
.. building the wrong thing. When you don’t know what customers need, you’ll likely end up building the wrong thing. The faster you can ship product, the faster you’ll learn. Find out everything you possibly can about what they really think. What they love and hate.
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The next wave of social products will literally be in your ears.
The next wave of social products will literally be in your ears.
33/
Product/market fit is a moving target.
Retention, churn, NPS are lagging indicators of PM fit.
Continuous innovation with not only your product but also your marketing tactics, distribution strategy and business model will help you reach and keep product/market fit.
Product/market fit is a moving target.
Retention, churn, NPS are lagging indicators of PM fit.
Continuous innovation with not only your product but also your marketing tactics, distribution strategy and business model will help you reach and keep product/market fit.
34/
Product development at any stage of a business gets so much easier when you first focus on the problem(s) people have before you try to think about the solution(s).
This is called problem-first product development. The alternative being solution-first product development.
Product development at any stage of a business gets so much easier when you first focus on the problem(s) people have before you try to think about the solution(s).
This is called problem-first product development. The alternative being solution-first product development.
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Most business problems are people problems at the core.
Most business problems are people problems at the core.
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Startups are a race to predictability. Predictability means that you know what is highly likely to happen in future. When you first start, you have 0 predictability. Having a formula for your business helps you make it predictable by understanding components driving growth.
Startups are a race to predictability. Predictability means that you know what is highly likely to happen in future. When you first start, you have 0 predictability. Having a formula for your business helps you make it predictable by understanding components driving growth.
37/
The #1 thing Product Managers own is documentation.
PMs sort through a lot of noise every day to determine what to build.
And once they have the priorities decided, they have to get key stakeholders aligned too.
The #1 thing Product Managers own is documentation.
PMs sort through a lot of noise every day to determine what to build.
And once they have the priorities decided, they have to get key stakeholders aligned too.
38/
Product development is more nuanced than it has ever been. All because of evolving consumer and business customer expectations.
In a world with so many choices of what products people can use and buy, the details matter and so does your Product’s positioning.
Product development is more nuanced than it has ever been. All because of evolving consumer and business customer expectations.
In a world with so many choices of what products people can use and buy, the details matter and so does your Product’s positioning.
39/
It’s easier than ever to build software. Now, in just a few hours, you can create something that used to take specialized skills and countless days.
This is all because of the "no code" tools that let you do so much without writing a single line of code.
It’s easier than ever to build software. Now, in just a few hours, you can create something that used to take specialized skills and countless days.
This is all because of the "no code" tools that let you do so much without writing a single line of code.
40/
The maker movement is here. Anyone can be a maker.
With just a computer or even a phone, no matter who you are or where you live, you as an individual can make complex experiences that live on the Internet for others to consume.
There’s magic in the air.
The maker movement is here. Anyone can be a maker.
With just a computer or even a phone, no matter who you are or where you live, you as an individual can make complex experiences that live on the Internet for others to consume.
There’s magic in the air.
41/
A big enough market hides a lot of mistakes for a long time.
A big enough market hides a lot of mistakes for a long time.
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Self-funded businesses tend to skew towards executing marketing tactics very effectively.
They can’t just throw money at marketing without it having explicit ROI.
Examples:
@Mailchimp and @Atlassian early days
@trello pre-acquisition
@ConvertKit partner strategy
Self-funded businesses tend to skew towards executing marketing tactics very effectively.
They can’t just throw money at marketing without it having explicit ROI.
Examples:
@Mailchimp and @Atlassian early days
@trello pre-acquisition
@ConvertKit partner strategy
43/
The most difficult part of sales and marketing is getting used to the grind.
Doing the same set of things over and over and over again.
Sometimes with such mediocre results that you think about giving up right before striking gold.
The most difficult part of sales and marketing is getting used to the grind.
Doing the same set of things over and over and over again.
Sometimes with such mediocre results that you think about giving up right before striking gold.
44/
People switch productivity apps because the cost of making a change is fairly low.
The pull towards something new and shiny is strong. Just one single feature can cause people to try an alternative.
The category has exploded.
People switch productivity apps because the cost of making a change is fairly low.
The pull towards something new and shiny is strong. Just one single feature can cause people to try an alternative.
The category has exploded.
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Prioritization seems to consistently come up as product people’s #1 challenge.
Prioritization seems to consistently come up as product people’s #1 challenge.
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Share your ideas. Even if it’s with just one other person.
Ideas evolve faster when you share them.
Share your ideas. Even if it’s with just one other person.
Ideas evolve faster when you share them.
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Founders who have personally built their company brands:
@richardbranson for Virgin
@dhh & @jasonfried for @37signals/@basecamp
@garyvee for @VaynerMedia
@dcancel for @Drift
@Austen for @LambdaSchool
@sir_gee_ohhhhh & @allthingsmarco for @hello_iamelliot
Founders who have personally built their company brands:
@richardbranson for Virgin
@dhh & @jasonfried for @37signals/@basecamp
@garyvee for @VaynerMedia
@dcancel for @Drift
@Austen for @LambdaSchool
@sir_gee_ohhhhh & @allthingsmarco for @hello_iamelliot
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All too often, in a startup marketing meeting we come to a slide which I call “the marketing sh!t list”. It’s a list of a dozen or so tactics. No data. No campaigns. No strategy. This isn’t how you do marketing. Start with your customer. First, find out where they hang out.
All too often, in a startup marketing meeting we come to a slide which I call “the marketing sh!t list”. It’s a list of a dozen or so tactics. No data. No campaigns. No strategy. This isn’t how you do marketing. Start with your customer. First, find out where they hang out.
49/
Couple marketing tips to avoid growth stagnation:
Invest in marketing knowing that you’ll have to continuously work the channels & funnels for them to remain effective over time.
Budget time & money to experiment with new marketing channels and tactics on an ongoing basis.
Couple marketing tips to avoid growth stagnation:
Invest in marketing knowing that you’ll have to continuously work the channels & funnels for them to remain effective over time.
Budget time & money to experiment with new marketing channels and tactics on an ongoing basis.
50/
Freedom starts in your mind.
Freedom starts in your mind.
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Don’t always believe what you think.
Your mind is probably playing tricks on you.
Don’t always believe what you think.
Your mind is probably playing tricks on you.
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When you listen, watch or read something, it’s incredibly useful to separate the message from the messenger. Your own biases and judgements can make it challenging. The goal is to prevent your opinion about the messenger from impacting your ability to learn from the message.
When you listen, watch or read something, it’s incredibly useful to separate the message from the messenger. Your own biases and judgements can make it challenging. The goal is to prevent your opinion about the messenger from impacting your ability to learn from the message.
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Whatever you are consistently afraid of is likely what’s driving your behavior, unconsciously.
Whatever you are consistently afraid of is likely what’s driving your behavior, unconsciously.
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When you know that you have a long road ahead, find your way to enjoy the journey.
When you know that you have a long road ahead, find your way to enjoy the journey.
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Even if marketing isn’t in our job titles, we all do marketing.
Even if marketing isn’t in our job titles, we all do marketing.
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Everybody says things. Be a person who also does the things you say you will do.
Everybody says things. Be a person who also does the things you say you will do.
57/
Your own thoughts, habits and behaviors are the only things standing in the way.
Change yourself and you’ll change what you get.
Your own thoughts, habits and behaviors are the only things standing in the way.
Change yourself and you’ll change what you get.
58/
Learn to live with other people’s decisions that are out of your control or influence.
Learn to live with other people’s decisions that are out of your control or influence.
59/
Getting what you want requires you to change.
Observing yourself without judgement is step one.
Questioning what you observe to find the root causes of your thoughts, habits and behaviors shows you what to change and why.
Getting what you want requires you to change.
Observing yourself without judgement is step one.
Questioning what you observe to find the root causes of your thoughts, habits and behaviors shows you what to change and why.
60/
Start a business because you want to learn as fast as humanly possible.
Because you want to increase your risk tolerance.
Because of an insatiable appetite for new challenges.
Because you can’t imagine a life where you are blocked by things outside of your influence.
Start a business because you want to learn as fast as humanly possible.
Because you want to increase your risk tolerance.
Because of an insatiable appetite for new challenges.
Because you can’t imagine a life where you are blocked by things outside of your influence.
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Everything changes once you realize that you are the only person in your own way.
Nobody else is getting in the way of what you want.
Everything changes once you realize that you are the only person in your own way.
Nobody else is getting in the way of what you want.
62/
Learn to write really well. It’s the one skill that’s guaranteed to improve your life.
Countless benefits come when your writing improves.
One of the most important ones is that you’ll be more easily understood when you communicate with other people.
Learn to write really well. It’s the one skill that’s guaranteed to improve your life.
Countless benefits come when your writing improves.
One of the most important ones is that you’ll be more easily understood when you communicate with other people.
63/
Reflecting on what you did in the past will improve your future. Without reflection your mistakes will likely repeat. This is true in all parts of life. Personally and professionally. Take the time to reflect. With success and with failure. Your future self will thank you.
Reflecting on what you did in the past will improve your future. Without reflection your mistakes will likely repeat. This is true in all parts of life. Personally and professionally. Take the time to reflect. With success and with failure. Your future self will thank you.
64/
Recognizing another individual’s potential before they do is an underrated human skill.
Recognizing another individual’s potential before they do is an underrated human skill.
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Do fewer things extremely well.
Do fewer things extremely well.
66/
Here‘s a comprehensive list of all the things you can change:
1. You.
Here‘s a comprehensive list of all the things you can change:
1. You.
67/
We judge what we don’t understand.
We judge what we don’t understand.
68/
In a world full of information, literally everyone only has a small slice of knowledge.
Expertise is easily faked and true depth of knowledge is often under appreciated and in short supply.
In a world full of information, literally everyone only has a small slice of knowledge.
Expertise is easily faked and true depth of knowledge is often under appreciated and in short supply.
69/
What was the last unforgettable piece of advice you got?
Mine: “Don’t take things personally.”
What was the last unforgettable piece of advice you got?
Mine: “Don’t take things personally.”
70/
How to grow:
1. Do things intentionally
2. Repeat what’s working
3. Stop what’s not working Work and life, alike.
How to grow:
1. Do things intentionally
2. Repeat what’s working
3. Stop what’s not working Work and life, alike.
71/
Nobody can possibly have it all figured out when starting. Start before you’re ready.
Nobody can possibly have it all figured out when starting. Start before you’re ready.
72/
People don’t work for you. People work with you.
People don’t work for you. People work with you.
73/
Very rarely does building in private for months result in something people want to use.
Very rarely does building in private for months result in something people want to use.
74/
If you’re worried about people stealing your idea, it’s very likely you’re not able to execute fast enough.
If you’re worried about people stealing your idea, it’s very likely you’re not able to execute fast enough.
75/
Choosing what to ignore doesn’t happen by accident.
Choosing what to ignore doesn’t happen by accident.
76/
It took me way too long to internalize the fact that if you don’t ask for what you want, the answer is no anyway.
It took me way too long to internalize the fact that if you don’t ask for what you want, the answer is no anyway.
77/
People who start businesses don’t have careers.
No ladder to climb.
A never-ending maze.
People who start businesses don’t have careers.
No ladder to climb.
A never-ending maze.
78/
When people feel like they can speak up and be heard they become more capable of helping a business grow.
Creating such an environment requires conscious effort and awareness of subtle human communication cues.
Simply asking everyone’s opinion doesn’t do it alone.
When people feel like they can speak up and be heard they become more capable of helping a business grow.
Creating such an environment requires conscious effort and awareness of subtle human communication cues.
Simply asking everyone’s opinion doesn’t do it alone.
79/
Being kind to others starts with yourself.
Being kind to others starts with yourself.
80/
Your reputation gets built up with every interaction you have with others.
Consistency is important and so is kindness.
Even the most critical feedback can be given in a kind way.
Your reputation gets built up with every interaction you have with others.
Consistency is important and so is kindness.
Even the most critical feedback can be given in a kind way.
81/
The one thing that will never change about marketing is the importance of words.
Aka copy. Written or spoken.
The word is what will always matter in marketing.
The one thing that will never change about marketing is the importance of words.
Aka copy. Written or spoken.
The word is what will always matter in marketing.
82/
Three reasons people think lean startup and MVPs are garbage.
1. They think MVP means build something instead of learn something.
2. They think a MVP means broken or incomplete.
3. They don’t want to believe that they could be wrong about their ideas.
Three reasons people think lean startup and MVPs are garbage.
1. They think MVP means build something instead of learn something.
2. They think a MVP means broken or incomplete.
3. They don’t want to believe that they could be wrong about their ideas.
83/
Startups are a vehicle to create what doesn’t exist yet.
That is why so many startups fail.
You might create something that isn’t meaningful enough at the time it was created.
That is why old ideas that failed make a come back & succeed years later.
Startups are a vehicle to create what doesn’t exist yet.
That is why so many startups fail.
You might create something that isn’t meaningful enough at the time it was created.
That is why old ideas that failed make a come back & succeed years later.
84/
Obsession is an underrated form of motivation.
Obsession is an underrated form of motivation.
85/
Once you get past all the remote work advice, you’ll realize that you only need to focus on one thing to become excellent at it.
Collaboration - How you and your team collaborate to get things done.
Once you get past all the remote work advice, you’ll realize that you only need to focus on one thing to become excellent at it.
Collaboration - How you and your team collaborate to get things done.
86/
Written communication is how work gets done in a distributed environment.
That’s the secret.
Written communication is how work gets done in a distributed environment.
That’s the secret.
87/
The past, present and future of work is distributed.
This has been a fact since the Internet came along.
We’re not doing anything new, the tools are just getting so much better.
The past, present and future of work is distributed.
This has been a fact since the Internet came along.
We’re not doing anything new, the tools are just getting so much better.
