If you are start up, think beyond one user

As I am coaching and mentoring a few start ups in Melbourne and elsewhere, I have noticed common pattern of issues across the board.

• All start up founders are really enthusiastic and dream of becoming rich –> Nothing wrong with it
• All start up founders have a strong idea in mind ---> Nothing wrong with it
• Most start up founders believe that their idea would take over the world, even though they have never tested beyond one user   ---> Something wrong with it

Recently read a story about startup failure “Patient Communicator”.   The founder built fantastic features applying iterative development method, however, it was never tested beyond his father’s medical center.

As the founder shares his experience, PC began as a product for my father’s medical practice.  Plain and simple, I never assessed the market need for a patient portal.  It’s extraordinarily difficult to take a product that was built perfectly for a particular user and commercialize that into a broader market.

If you are in start up journey, think beyond one particular user !