Two schools of thought on how to gain early traction for consumer-focused startups
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Which school of thought are you: "Loop Experimentalist" or "Use-case Driven"?
framethink.wordpress.com
This
>Build a product that delights some users. Goto market with the same consumers/partners that you talked with initially. Get linear adoption within that target set first, then figure out how to grow exponentially from there.
is roughly accurate.
Philosophy #1 can be successful with comparatively little effort.
In the long run you probably end up with a much better product so while you may no have "hockey stick" growth right away, your chances for longevity are greater.
Sounds like the people who support #1 are either impatient or don't have time to wait for growth.