Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Pattern Breakers: How to find a breakthrough startup idea | Mike Maples, Jr. (Founding Partner at Floodgate, ex-Product at Silicon Graphics)

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Jul 7, 2024

In this engaging conversation, Mike Maples, Jr., a renowned early-stage investor and co-author of "Pattern Breakers," shares his insights from backing transformative companies like Twitter and Lyft. He outlines the three elements that define breakthrough startup ideas and discusses the importance of thinking differently to avoid the comparison and conformity traps. Mike emphasizes the power of storytelling and the role of 'lighthouse customers' in crafting successful narratives. He also highlights how a little healthy disagreeableness can drive innovation in entrepreneurship.

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00:00 / 00:00

Twitch Investment Surprise

Mike Maples, Jr. forgot he invested in Twitch, highlighting unexpected success from pivots.
This led him to research what separates successful startups from failures.

00:00 / 00:00

Startups Must Fight Unfair

Startups must fight unfair to win against incumbents.
They achieve this by harnessing unique powers and proposing radically different futures.

00:00 / 00:00

Elements of Breakthrough Ideas

Breakthrough startup ideas have three elements: inflections, insights, and founder future fit.
The right insight allows for a first-mover advantage, enabling pivots to find product-market fit.

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