Minimize steps to critical magic
ProductRemove every unnecessary field, click, or tutorial that stands between a new user and the core value of the product.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Hall of Masters
Andrew Chen
앤드루 첸
General partner at Andreessen Horowitz, author of The Cold Start Problem
809 records in all
- Principles 305
- Episodes 139
- Quotes 365
Ask with this master's words
3 free questions a day, no sign-up.
Principles
46 basic records of 305
Principles are our summary of their public statements.
Bootstrap Social Graphs
MarketingSolve the 'lonely user' problem by connecting to existing networks like email or Facebook to fill empty feeds immediately.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Minimize Product Risk
ProductInstead of inventing entirely new categories, founders should improve upon existing ones to ensure there is already a baseline of customer behavior.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Engage Audience in Content Strategy
ContentAsk readers directly for their input on topics to ensure the content remains relevant and valuable to the target audience.
1 more supporting quote is in the member records.
Focus on the Supply Side
StrategyIn two-sided marketplaces, securing and retaining supply is often the most foundational and difficult challenge for growth.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Balance Through Dynamic Pricing
PricingUse pricing mechanisms like surge or discounts to align supply and demand in real-time to prevent marketplace collapse.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Leverage the Novelty Period
MarketingNew platforms offer a window of high engagement where users are excited to experiment with any app, regardless of its complexity.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Prioritize Usage Over Aesthetics
RiskIt is better to have an ugly, copy-cat product that many people use than a beautiful, innovative one that no one uses.
Supporting quotes
An overfocus on product - meaning the features and functionality, or the underlying technology - can cause friction with motivations from the user.
Source Andrew Chen 10 Signs Youre A Product Fanatic (opens in a new tab)
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Look for Aligned Incentives
StrategyEvaluate a service provider by whether they profit from your success or merely from your transaction volume.
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Avoid Publicly Criticizing Early Startups
IntegrityDo not publicly bash new products that are still finding their footing; save critical analysis for established, successful companies.
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Accept Strategic Debt for Learning
StrategyWhen testing a new hypothesis, it is often rational to use 'duct tape' code and quick UI additions rather than building for scale, provided you plan to pay it back later.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Prioritize utility over novelty
ProductWhile novelty gets initial clicks, only marketing that provides genuine value or solves a problem maintains long-term performance.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Prioritize intent over interest
MarketingData showing a user's intent to buy is significantly more valuable and easier to monetize than data showing general interests.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Hire Operators to Help Builders
HiringA venture fund or service provider should hire experienced operators from the industry to provide practical help like hiring and marketing to their portfolio companies.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Segment developers by motivation
StrategyUnderstand whether your platform users are building for scalable profit or for social status and technical interest to serve them better.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Make it easy to quit
ProductAllowing users to easily unsubscribe or delete accounts provides high-fidelity negative signals that are essential for iterating toward product-market fit.
Supporting quotes
My central argument is that if you believe that every startup is an iterative learning process that converges towards product/market fit, then you need extremely high-fidelity signals to tell you if you're going in the right direction.
you should give people valves to tell you "I hate this!" so that you can learn more faster.
Source Andrew Chen Why You Should Make It Easy For Users To Quit Your Product (opens in a new tab)
1 more supporting quote is in the member records.
Adopt a learning-centric strategy
DecisionsEvaluate product ideas based on how much they will teach you about the market and the cost of gaining those insights, rather than just debating if they will work.
Supporting quotes
My central argument is that if you believe that every startup is an iterative learning process that converges towards product/market fit, then you need extremely high-fidelity signals to tell you if you're going in the right direction.
you should give people valves to tell you "I hate this!" so that you can learn more faster.
Source Andrew Chen Why You Should Make It Easy For Users To Quit Your Product (opens in a new tab)
1 more supporting quote is in the member records.
Aim for Minimum Desirable Product
ProductInstead of just focusing on functionality, founders should consider the design and desirability of their initial product to ensure it resonates with users.
1 more supporting quote is in the member records.
Prioritize Value Over Output Metrics
StrategyFocus on the primary source of business success, which is value creation, rather than secondary variables like traffic or conversion rates.
3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
Design for immediate feedback loops
ProductA product should provide a clear response to user actions to prevent them from feeling like their efforts are wasted.
Supporting quotes
The main thing is a feedback mechanism for when you do stuff. I sort of expect there to be a action->feedback loop that doesn't really exist.
Source Andrew Chen 24 Hours Into Twitter, 2007 (opens in a new tab)
2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.
You are seeing 122 basic records. Membership answers from all 809 of this master's records.
See membershipMore masters in this field
See the whole fieldMarketing, brand and copywriting
These records are our compilation of public statements and sources. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Andrew Chen or any related company. If something should come down, tell us. Takedown request form