This Week in Startups Intercom’s Des Traynor on the importance of pricing, product-market fit metrics & more | Angel S5 E2
Jan 28, 2021
Des Traynor, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Intercom, shares his insights on the critical elements of startup success. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and effective pricing strategies for sustainable growth. Traynor discusses how to evaluate startup ideas based on customer outcomes rather than just technology, and he highlights the evolving dynamics of design and funding in software startups. He also tackles the challenges of remote work culture and the complexities of balancing aggressive growth with financial health.
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Focus on Real Problems
- Look for products solving real problems that people will pay to solve.
- Ideally, the problem should be frequent enough that users will subscribe and stay.
Unbiased Customer Validation
- Find customers who aren't connected to you or your network.
- Observe their genuine product usage to validate its value.
Charge Early
- Charge for your product early on to get real market signals.
- Don't rely on free pilots, as they offer weak market feedback.