kbs+ ventures class 2 | finding product/market fit
DESCRIPTION
In this class we discussed the key ingredients of successful startups – team, product, and market. We focused on the importance of product/market fit, and how to find it. For our “Real World Perspective” during part of the class, kbs+ Ventures portfolio founder Satish Polisetti joined us to discuss AdsNative journey on building the business and finding product/market fit.TRANSCRIPT
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FELLOWS CLASS #2NOVEMBER 19TH, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 14
• LAST WEEK’S READING / VIDEO• PRODUCT / MARKET FIT• COMPETITION• REAL WORLD PERSPECTIVE: SATISH POLISETTI, ADSNATIVE• HOMEWORK #1: PROBLEM LOGS• HOMEWORK #2: DILIGENCE (DUE DECEMBER 12TH)• QUESTIONS
IN TODAY’S CLASS...2
Wednesday, November 19, 14
3 INGREDIENTS TO A SUCCESSFUL STARTUP:3
TEAM
PRODUCT
MARKET
Wednesday, November 19, 14
3 INGREDIENTS TO A SUCCESSFUL STARTUP:4
TEAM
PRODUCT
MARKET
CALIBER OF THE TEAM DEFINED BY...
✓ SUITABILITY OF THE CEO
✓ SENIOR STAFF, ENGINEERS, AND OTHER KEY TALENT
✓ TEAM DYNAMIC
Will range from outstanding to remarkably flawed
Wednesday, November 19, 14
3 INGREDIENTS TO A SUCCESSFUL STARTUP:5
TEAM
PRODUCT
MARKET
QUALITY OF A STARTUP’S PRODUCT CAN BE DEFINED AS...
✓ HOW USEFUL IT TO CONSUMERS✓ EASE OF USE✓ HOW DEFENSIBLE IS IT?✓ HOW MANY FEATURES?✓ HOW FAST IS IT?✓ HOW BUGGY IS IT?
Will range from outstanding to remarkably flawed
Will range from a masterpiece of engineering to barely func7onal
Wednesday, November 19, 14
Will range from a masterpiece of engineering to barely func7onal
3 INGREDIENTS TO A SUCCESSFUL STARTUP:6
TEAM
PRODUCT
MARKET
SIZE OF A STARTUP’S MARKET IS DEFINED BY:
✓ NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS✓ GROWTH RATE OF USERS✓ POTENTIAL REVENUE
Will range from outstanding to remarkably flawed
Will range from booming to comatose.
Wednesday, November 19, 14
WHICH FACTOR DOMINATES?7
TEAM, PRODUCT, MARKET, SHOOT!
Wednesday, November 19, 14
8
WHICH FACTOR DOMINATES?
GREAT MARKET WINS.
“BAD MARKET BEATS GREAT TEAM OR PRODUCT EVERY TIME. IT DOESNT MATTER, YOU’RE GOING TO FAIL”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
9
“IN A GREAT MARKET -‐ A MARKET WITH LOTS OF POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS -‐ THE MARKET PULLS PRODUCT OUT OF A STARTUP.”
-‐ MARC ANDREESSEN
WHICH FACTOR DOMINATES?
Wednesday, November 19, 14
SECRET TO SUCCESS?10
Wednesday, November 19, 14
SECRET TO SUCCESS?10
FINDING PRODUCT/MARKET FIT
Wednesday, November 19, 14
FINDING PRODUCT/MARKET FIT11
• BECOME AN EXPERT IN THAT MARKET• OBSESSIVE RESEARCH• GET IN THE SHOES OF YOUR CUSTOMERS - LITERALLY• LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS• BE FLEXIBLE: MAKE CHANGES TO THE TEAM AND VISION• ITERATE YOUR PRODUCT: HYPOTHESIS, TEST, LEARN, REPEAT• BE SELF AWARE: KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS AND DEFICIENCIES
DO WHATEVER IS REQUIRED TO GET THERE...
Wednesday, November 19, 14
FINDING PRODUCT/MARKET FIT: HOMEJOY12
TRY DOING IT YOURSELF READ UP ON IT JOIN THE COMPETITION START A BETTER BUSINESS
Wednesday, November 19, 14
13
FINDING PRODUCT/MARKET FIT
GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE:SOMETHING MUST FALL WITHIN CERTAIN MARGINS, AS OPPOSED TO REACHING EXTREMES. IT’S USED IN THE “RARE EARTH HYPOTHESIS” TO STATE THAT A PLANET MUST NEITHER BE TOO FAR AWAY FROM, NOR TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN TO SUPPORT LIFE.
Wednesday, November 19, 14
GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE14
BUT FOR TECHNOLOGY....
“TOO HOT” .... (“STRATEGIC” OR “CORE”) “TOO COLD” ....
Wednesday, November 19, 14
GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE14
BUT FOR TECHNOLOGY....
“TOO HOT” .... (“STRATEGIC” OR “CORE”) “TOO COLD” ....
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER BUILDS IT IN HOUSE
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER SAYS YES, BECAUSE THE PRODUCT IS SO DEFENSIBLE
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER ACQUIRES TECH
Wednesday, November 19, 14
GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE14
BUT FOR TECHNOLOGY....
“TOO HOT” .... (“STRATEGIC” OR “CORE”) “TOO COLD” ....
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER BUILDS IT IN HOUSE
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER SAYS YES, BECAUSE THE PRODUCT IS SO DEFENSIBLE
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER ACQUIRES TECH
✓ NOT USEFUL TO POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS
✓ NOT USEFUL TO POTENTIAL PARTNERS
✓ RE-LOOK AT YOUR PRODUCT/MARKET, AND LIKELY PIVOT THE BUSINESS
Wednesday, November 19, 14
GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE14
BUT FOR TECHNOLOGY....
“TOO HOT” .... (“STRATEGIC” OR “CORE”) “TOO COLD” ....
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER BUILDS IT IN HOUSE
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER SAYS YES, BECAUSE THE PRODUCT IS SO DEFENSIBLE
✓ POTENTIAL PARTNER ACQUIRES TECH
✓ NOT USEFUL TO POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS
✓ NOT USEFUL TO POTENTIAL PARTNERS
✓ RE-LOOK AT YOUR PRODUCT/MARKET, AND LIKELY PIVOT THE BUSINESS
TO BE A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS, YOU NEED TO BE “JUST RIGHT”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
YOU’LL KNOW WHEN IT’S HAPPENING...15
• DEFINED PROBLEM• LARGE # OF POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS• WILLINGNESS TO PAY• CAPACITY TO PAY• EASY TO REACH• EASY TO TARGET• PRESS OPPORTUNITIES• LOW FRICTION• CLEAR BUSINESS MODEL• HIGH BARRIERS TO EXIT• NETWORK EFFECT• COMPETITION• NATURAL MONOPOLY
Wednesday, November 19, 14
AND WHEN IT’S NOT HAPPENING...16
• CUSTOMERS AREN’T SEEING THE VALUE• WORD OF MOUTH ISN’T SPREADING• LOW CONSUMER ADOPTION• PRESS REVIEWS ARE “BLAH”• SALES CYCLES ARE TOO LONG• DEALS DON’T CLOSE• TEAM MORAL DECLINING
Wednesday, November 19, 14
TITLE / HEADER17
FINDING PRODUCT/MARKET FIT
GENERAL RULE OF THUMB:“ACHIEVEMENT OF PRODUCT/MARKET FIT CAN BE MEASURED ACCORDING TO A SPECIFIC METRIC.
WHEN, IN A SURVEY, AT LEAST 40% OF USERS SAY THEY WOULD BE “VERY DISAPPOINTED” WITHOUT YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE.”
-‐ STEVE BLANK, 4 STEPS TO THE EPIPHANY
Wednesday, November 19, 14
FINDING “FOUNDER/MARKET FIT”18
“PEOPLE WHO PERSONIFY THEIR PRODUCT, BUSINESS AND ULTIMATELY THEIR COMPANY”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
COMPETITION19
NEVER UNDERSTATE THE COMPETITION•THINK ABOUT YOUR COMPETITION BROADLY - DON’T “DOMINATE BY DEFINITION”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
COMPETITION19
NEVER UNDERSTATE THE COMPETITION•THINK ABOUT YOUR COMPETITION BROADLY - DON’T “DOMINATE BY DEFINITION”
“ONLY BRITISH FOOD IN PALO
ALTO”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
WHAT’S THE MARKET FOR ALL RESTAURANTS IN PALO ALTO?
COMPETITION19
NEVER UNDERSTATE THE COMPETITION•THINK ABOUT YOUR COMPETITION BROADLY - DON’T “DOMINATE BY DEFINITION”
“ONLY BRITISH FOOD IN PALO
ALTO”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
WHAT ABOUT RESTAURANTS IN NEARBY TOWNS?
WHAT’S THE MARKET FOR ALL RESTAURANTS IN PALO ALTO?
COMPETITION19
NEVER UNDERSTATE THE COMPETITION•THINK ABOUT YOUR COMPETITION BROADLY - DON’T “DOMINATE BY DEFINITION”
“ONLY BRITISH FOOD IN PALO
ALTO”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
• WHAT IS THE CORE VALUE PROPOSITION?• BE ABLE TO CLEARLY DEFINE YOUR MARKET POSITION• WHAT IS DEFENSIBLE, OR EXCLUSIVE TO YOUR BUSINESS?• ARE THERE HIGH BARRIERS TO EXIT?• WHY SHOULD YOUR CUSTOMERS CARE?• WHO ARE YOUR DIRECT, OR INDIRECT COMPETITORS?• WHO, OR WHAT, COULD PUT YOU OUT OF BUSINESS?
COMPETITIVE CHECKLIST20
Wednesday, November 19, 14
REAL WORLD PERSPECTIVE21
SATISH POLISETTI• CEO AND CO-FOUNDER• SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR• DOUBLE MAJOR IN MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING• RECOGNIZED AS A “30 UNDER 30”
FOUNDER SPOTLIGHT!
Wednesday, November 19, 14
SATISH SLIDES22
Wednesday, November 19, 14
REFRAMING THE PROBLEM23
• DEFINE A “SUPPORTING BELIEFS” • SHARE AN INSIGHT THAT HASNT BEEN CONSIDERED• WHAT’S THE OPPOSITE OF THE SUPPORTING BELIEFS?• ASK “WHY”
Wednesday, November 19, 14
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #224
DILIGENCE REPORT: (EITHER 5 SLIDE, OR 2 PAGE OVERVIEW DOCUMENT)• WHAT IS THE MARKET PROBLEM / INEFFICIENCY YOU ARE SOLVING?• WHAT’S THE MARKET SIZE?• WHO IS YOUR CORE CUSTOMER?• WHAT ARE THEIR PAIN POINTS, AND HOW ARE THEY CURRENTLY SOLVING IT?• WHO ARE YOUR COMPETITORS?• HOW WILL YOUR GET YOUR FIRST CUSTOMERS / USERS?• WHAT FEATURES WOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR MVP?• COME UP WITH A STARTUP NAME
DUE: PRESENTED IN THE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12TH CLASS
Wednesday, November 19, 14
Wednesday, November 19, 14