10 Uncommonly Useful Observations on Product-Market Fit

By Andrew on 8/19/2024

1. It’s a spectrum, not a binary state. Companies don’t suddenly “achieve PMF.” They gradually increase their degree of fit. Continuous function, not discrete.

2. Organic growth trumps all other signals. 15%+ month-over-month growth without marketing spend? You’re onto something. Everything else is noise.

3. Initial markets are often too broad. Counterintuitively, narrowing focus can accelerate PMF. Start specific, expand later.

4. Iteration speed correlates strongly with finding PMF. Ship fast, learn faster. Perfect is the enemy of good enough.

5. User conversations are invaluable. The more direct interaction with users, the quicker the path to PMF. Can’t be outsourced or automated.

6. PMF sometimes hides in unexpected places. Pay attention to underappreciated parts of the product that users love. They might be signaling the real opportunity.

7. B2B and B2C PMF differ significantly. B2B can often brute-force early PMF through high-touch sales. B2C requires more viral mechanics. Context matters.

8. Market size is a powerful multiplier. Good product + massive market often outperforms great product + small market. When in doubt, err towards larger markets.

9. The best companies continuously refine their PMF. Markets evolve, and user needs shift. Static PMF is an oxymoron.

10. Action beats analysis. Build, ship, learn. Repeat. Everything else is commentary.

Exceptions abound. The startup world isn’t known for its universal truths. But these patterns appear frequently enough to warrant attention.

If you are interested in building fast and testing ideas: