Great article! Just beg to differ on the "you must release your MVP in weeks" part, which I think is too simplistic and oft-overused, and ignores the unique complexities of individual industries, goals, and resources. Even Sam Altman - once an advocate of this advice - said "I feel so bad about the advice I gave while running YC that I’m thinking about deleting my entire blog" in a recent interview.
For instance, if you're aiming to disrupt a legacy industry or build complex AI, a rushed MVP could damage your prospects. Figma, Rippling, and OpenAI - who spent much longer building - offer a cautionary reminder that ambitious visions sometimes require more deliberate iterations. While speed (in most cases) has advantages, I think it's important to recognize that startups are snowflakes and that the best startups are defined by exceptions. Cheers!
Great article! Just beg to differ on the "you must release your MVP in weeks" part, which I think is too simplistic and oft-overused, and ignores the unique complexities of individual industries, goals, and resources. Even Sam Altman - once an advocate of this advice - said "I feel so bad about the advice I gave while running YC that I’m thinking about deleting my entire blog" in a recent interview.
For instance, if you're aiming to disrupt a legacy industry or build complex AI, a rushed MVP could damage your prospects. Figma, Rippling, and OpenAI - who spent much longer building - offer a cautionary reminder that ambitious visions sometimes require more deliberate iterations. While speed (in most cases) has advantages, I think it's important to recognize that startups are snowflakes and that the best startups are defined by exceptions. Cheers!