#129 The right blend

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Prefer to listen to this week’s issue: Go here: The right blend

Saw this on LinkedIn this week from a person named Patrick Kelley (Not my former teammate from GC. Someone I don’t know):

First-time founders think about the product. Second-time founders think about the distribution.

I've seen too many superior SaaS products fall to inferior competitors because the founders didn't have an existing network (or feasible plan) to distribute and sell their new offering.

It's no guarantee for success, but being a veteran of your targeted vertical with an established network is one way to greatly reduce risk.

I don’t disagree, however, I don’t think it’s an “either/or”. It’s a blend. Launching a brand new product or business or new product within an existing company, requires both the right product and reliable distribution.

Both, because marketing and product have so much overlap in the beginning they could be called the same thing. Like two sides of the same coin, the marketing informs the product and vice versa. To do both requires distribution — distribution for marketing so you can learn who wants your solution and what it is, distribution for your product so you learn what to build.

Of course, this isn’t just true for first-time and second-time founders. CEOs and entrepreneurs alike find it hard to strike the right blend.

One to Read

  • I found this article about this one family behind the James Bond franchise fascinating. Talk about an asymmetrical upside :)

One to Watch

  • From “Iceman” to “Holiday” and beyond, The VAL documentary on Amazon is a fantastic look into the life and career of Val Kilmer

One to Ponder

  • Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on discipline. - Jocko

Until next time, friends.

-David

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