Sid S’ Post

Ever wonder what a day in the life of a Start-up CTO looks like? Let me spoil it for you... it’s not all about writing code. A lot of time is spent in strategy meetings, persuading stakeholders, and chasing product timelines. Bringing a product to life involves developing an understanding of business needs, customer preferences and market trends. It's a roller-coaster ride but one that ends with achieving something truly meaningful. The ultimate reward? Seeing your vision turned into reality. How is your start-up journey shaping up? I'd love to hear about your experiences. Perhaps we can learn from each other.

Your Product Promise is the WHY behind your company: Why you feel your product should exist, and the reason someone would use it. Do yourself a favour and before you and your team start building product, honestly validate this promise at scale. The key here is to take what your audience says at face value. Too many times I’ve seen early stage founders disregard clear signs that their promise is not yet precisely dialed in, but storm forward based on their own beliefs and emotional investment in their initial idea. This results in wasted money, but also precious, PRECIOUS time. Trying to jam a square peg into a round hole and convince investors you’re just on the cusp of something big doesn’t will PMF to spontaneously happen. Validate or die.

Over the past few months, Nagendra and I have worked tirelessly to speak with as many talent managers and creators as possible to understand the depth and breadth of the amazing work they do to grow and empower the creator economy. Your work is irreplaceable and becoming more important as time goes on (no matter what Grace Beverley says). I want to share a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of that journey so far, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to help you. Our vision is ambitious: we will provide an AI-powered platform that streamlines talent management tasks, contract automation, and financial processes. We aim to empower talent managers and creators with innovative tools that enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and drive growth in a more transparent and efficient way. We're not stopping there—our team has the unique ability to serve the workflows of all talent management globally, including athletes, actors, and musicians, as well as licensing all forms of creative IP. On a personal level, the past five years have uniquely prepared me to address this problem space. From studying at Cambridge and founding an IP licensing consultancy to working as a B2B SDR and dabbling in creator management, I’ve gained invaluable insights. Seeing Pactify come to fruition brings me a lot of pride, but we're just getting started. For those who are new or want to join us as we bring our product to life over the next three months and build Pactify one step at a time, feel free to message me and book a time. I'd love to have a chat. Otherwise, watch this space!! Link to view article on Startup Daily: https://lnkd.in/g_HsrJbX

🚀 Are you working on an early stage digital product? Opportunity, Product/Solution Fit, Product/Market Fit, and Growth (or Product/Business Model Fit). 🌟 Knowing your product's stage is crucial for setting goals. Do they match?! 1️⃣ Opportunity: Research, brainstorm, define your vision. 🌠 2️⃣ Product/Solution Fit: Test, iterate, refine your offering. 🛠️ 3️⃣ Product/Market Fit: Gain traction, scale, optimize. 🌱 4️⃣ Growth: Think long-term, scale operations, explore revenue streams. 💰 But which are the most fun? I'm personally fond Stage 3 - it's like putting rocket fuel in the tank and go-for-launch! 🚀 #ProductJourney #StartupLife #DigitalProduct #ProductManagement

Monday Founder thoughts: Comfort Zone you say. What’s that?!? One of the biggest learnings from being a #founder is that you are forever out of your comfort zone. You are constantly learning on the job. No two days are ever the same. You may plan tasks for the day, only to find yourself having to do something completely different that you don't expect. Amongst a ton of other things, last week I found myself: - wearing a design hat, designing flyers and banners. I am by no means a designer! 😬 - managing the product roadmap. I had no idea what a product roadmap was until I started on this journey 🙈 - recruiting for a Growth Product Lead. I’ve never hired for one before, and had no idea what I was looking for. Huge shout out to Nick Black and Bhavesh Mistry for the support here 🙌 - negotiating a really cool partnership (more on that another time) 🔥 - putting together our data room and updating our business model, ahead of our next #fundraise 💰 #femalefounder #startupjourney #healthtech #newskills #careergrowth -------- 👇 Does this resonate with you? ♻️ Repost to inspire people to take the leap into the unknown 👉Follow me Laura Stembridge for more learnings, reflections and insights on starting a start-up

You should launch sooner. A true launch—no friends & family lists, no access codes, no apologies—exposes your product to the broad market and provides invaluable insights. This is not about just unveiling a product; it’s about engaging directly with users and learning from diverse feedback to iterate effectively. Show your work to the world and let this real feedback drive innovation and improvement. Over the past 15 years, I've helped dozens of teams design and launch their products efficiently. And I built No BS to do design the startup way, i.e. to focus on doing exactly the things your product needs to hit the market ASAP. Want to launch your product or service with confidence? Send me a DM to explore how we can help you design the right thing to get you to market swiftly and effectively. #0to1 #ProductDiscovery #UserExperience #MVP

Got a killer idea and dreaming of turning it into a thriving biz? Here’s your game plan: 1️⃣ Refine Your Concept: Nail down what makes your idea epic. What’s the problem it solves? What makes it stand out? Get clear and get ready to shine. 2️⃣ Seek Targeted Feedback: Don’t go solo! Connect with potential clients, get their thoughts, and fine-tune your approach. Make sure you’re on the right track. 3️⃣ Develop an MVP: Start small but dream big! Create a Minimum Viable Product to test your core value. Tweak and perfect before you dive in headfirst. 4️⃣ Analyze Competitor Success: Learn from the pros! Check out what successful competitors are doing, and see how you can make it even better. 5️⃣ Continuously Iterate: Stay agile! Keep refining your idea based on feedback and trends. Evolve to stay ahead of the curve. Ready to make your mark? Dive in and start perfecting your business idea today. #BusinessInnovation #StartUpSuccess #EntrepreneurMindset

🚀 From Concept to Launch: Crafting Your Startup's Story with StoryChech At StoryChech, we believe that every startup has a unique story waiting to be told. Whether you're in the early stages of developing your idea or preparing to bring your product or service to market, the way you communicate your journey can make all the difference. Our mission is to help you craft a compelling narrative that resonates with your target audience. From the inception of your idea, through the challenges of development, to the excitement of your launch day, we're here to ensure your story is heard, understood, and remembered. We don’t just tell your story—we help you build a brand that stands out in a crowded market, connecting with customers on an emotional level. Let us guide you through the storytelling process, transforming your startup's milestones into a powerful narrative that drives engagement and growth. If this resonates with you, follow our page and show your support. We're excited to be part of your journey! 🌟

I’ve gone from a struggling start-up founder to launching 3 products in 11 months. No sleepless nights. No toxic hustle culture. No burnout. Here's the system that changed it for me: (You cannot call it a system until it is documented) (Yes, even if you know it like the back of your hand) It’s called The Product Development Lifecycle. Let me explain how (and why it works): 1. Ideation is the New Gold Rush In a world of endless products, unique ideas win. The Ideation and Concept Development stage is your goldmine. It's where you generate, evaluate, and refine your product ideas. Your market research becomes your 24/7 validation machine. 2. Design-Led Products Dominate Look at the numbers: • Apple: $2.4 trillion market cap • Dyson: $3 billion revenue • Airbnb: 150 million users The pattern is clear. Great design isn't just pretty, it's profitable. In the product economy, design is your competitive edge. 3. Prototypes are Your Silent Salespeople With the Design and Prototyping stage, you're always improving, even before launch. It results in: • Faster iterations • 60%+ reduction in development costs • 40%+ increase in product-market fit Your prototypes work harder than a factory on overtime. 4. The Compound Effect of Quality Each quality check in the Production and Quality Assurance stage is a seed planted for future growth. Over time, these seeds grow into a forest of customer trust and brand loyalty. The more you invest in quality, the more unstoppable your product becomes. 5. From Launch to Legacy Picture this: You launch your product. Early adopters rave about it. Their friends rush to buy it. A month later, you're featured in TechCrunch, already scaling production. That's the Product Development Lifecycle at work. Success comes to you, built on a foundation of systematic development. - Ready to supercharge your business growth? Share this with a fellow founder or entrepreneur and follow Ash Stephenson for more. Join the Playbook Community and get exclusive access to a free weekly Automation, Template or Guide. https://lnkd.in/dVN4keAM #founder #automation #executive

🚀 Attention Founders: The Crucial Ingredient You Might Be Overlooking in Your Quest for Product-Market Fit! 🚀 In the march to market dominance, many founders are laser-focused on perfecting their product. It’s a natural instinct—after all, your product is your brainchild, your dream turned into reality. But here’s a provocative thought: Could this intense focus be exactly what’s steering you away from that elusive product-market fit? The common pitfall? Only iterating the product, not the market vision. Yes, your product needs to be exceptional. But it’s only half the equation. The market—its needs, its pain points, and its shifting dynamics—is the other half. Ignoring this is like trying to clap with one hand. Impossible, right? Finding the true product-market fit is akin to a dance between your product and your target market. It requires both to be in sync, adapting to the rhythm, and sometimes even changing the dance style altogether. Here’s a nugget of wisdom: Iterate your market strategy alongside your product. Your product might be a masterpiece, but if it’s not what the market needs or wants, it will never achieve its full potential. This means continuously refining your messaging, understanding your customer better, and sometimes even pivoting your target market to find the perfect fit. Let’s challenge the status quo. It’s time to broaden our lens beyond the product. It’s time to ask: Is our messaging resonating with our evolving market? Are we truly addressing the pain points of our target audience? Could a slight pivot in market focus amplify our product’s impact? 🌟 Remember, achieving product-market fit is not just about iterating the product; it’s about iterating your understanding of the market and adapting your strategies accordingly. 🌟 Let's make our products not just great, but irresistibly relevant. Here’s to finding that perfect fit! #ProductMarketFit #StartupJourney #MarketIteration