So here it is: that idea that’s so epic that it will have Zukenberg grovelling at your feet. The vision is grand, the solution is needed and so, the chances of getting it to work are close to nil.
Why is the world changing, grand solution such a huge risk? Mostly, in my experience, its because executing it will be so time consuming. As a matter of fact, if you can’t get a version up and running in 2 weeks, don’t bother. And when I say 2 weeks I mean 180 hours.
If your product, solution can’t provide value and entice feedback after 180 hours of work, something here is wrong. Its not that the idea is wrong, its that the risk involved in a long development cycle is going to throw everything off. The market will move, economics will shift, competitors will join and the earth will make one too many a rotation and will throw you off course.
Saw a video by Josh Kopelman seems like a VC with First Round Capital that also invested in my old company Reimage.com. His metaphor is that an entrepanuer needs to be like a heat seeking missile, it has a clear path but can also move and shift based on the targets movements. Well, I agree with Mr. Kopelman, but say this… your chances of hitting are much increased the shorter the distance you need to traverse.
Two weeks do that, they set a very actionable, very tight and very effective time-frame to plan, build execute and gauge response from your market. No point building the world largest crossbow when gunpowder is right around the corner, right?
This is my new principle with projects… productivity has certainly improved so far… now I am waiting for the results…
