Comments on: Push versus Pull Startups – Which Path To Take?

By: Startup Models: Push or Pull? « Ideas, pros and cons

Startup Models: Push or Pull? « Ideas, pros and cons — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 08:37:41 +0000

[...] Young Entrepreneur examined two contrasting startup models recently. If you have thought much about the difference between a “push” model and a “pull” model for your startup, you should. [...]

By: Randy Whitcroft

Randy Whitcroft — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:54:36 +0000

I would agree with Ryan.

There is an ability to use the best from both of these approaches so that you do not have to choose one over the other. There is a movement which is long overdue and gaining quite a bit of steam which is the concept of a “Customer Development” process that goes hand in hand with the product development process.

I agree with your point about the there being a risk of only having a solution that meets the needs of that one customer….so the solution is to go out and engage with multiple customers and build solutions around the needs and requirements that “bubble up” and are common with all of these customers.

In my opinion it does not matter if you are developing solutions that are “ahead of the curve” or developing solutions that have a well defined market, there is nothing more valuable than having a set of real-world customers to be validation points and “sponsors” throughout your development process. I agree that the challenge is really that people do not always have an established network to go to…but the reality is that you do not need to have one. You would be surprised how people are actually very open to help a company and product succeed if approached and engaged properly. It is about picking up the phone and calling people and finding ways to leverage what network you do have to find, meet, and collaborate with people and companies within your target market.

This is a great topic Harley. I just believe that the answer may not be about choosing a model, but rather finding and using the right combination of them both.

By: Ryan Taft

Ryan Taft — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 11:58:22 +0000

I like to use a combination of both approaches. If you find customers or anyone talking about a need that you think you can fill, take a step back and see the bigger picture. Ask questions like, Is this an isolated need or might others benefit from it? Do I know others who might benefit from it or some form of it? Who are the thought-leaders in this industry whom I might consult for advice? Once you answer those questions, you can develop something with more than one person in mind. When it’s ready, that 1 person will buy, but you’ve developed in a way that you can now push it to others.

Best,

Ryan Taft
Catalyst Marketers

By: Harley Finkelstein

Harley Finkelstein — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:32:54 +0000

Echo. Well put.

By: Bob Lancaster

Bob Lancaster — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:25:51 +0000

In the software industry books, blogs and consultants invariably advocate the fractional improvement approach; find an existing product and add unique features to capture an underserved market. In fact, many go so far as to state that if you are not doing this then you have no product.

Like you, we have chosen the push strategy. We have developed an entirely new way of automating activities; and yes, as the experts predict, it is very hard getting people’s attention. It seems that ‘pull’ could be equated with what people are looking for; preconceived notion. And ‘push’ is what people stumble upon; new opportunity.

‘Push’ is where you find innovation.