You Believe a Great Product is Enough? 7 Reasons Why You’re Wrong
Over the years, I’ve worked with dozens of founders to build their pitch decks. In doing so, I’ve noticed recurring patterns — especially when the founders are technically inclined but lack business experience. Here are the most common mistakes I see, and how they can be avoided:
1. Lack of Business Understanding
Many founders, especially those with a technical background, struggle to grasp core business concepts. They often have little knowledge of market strategy, target audiences, or how to position their product in a competitive landscape. While their technical expertise is invaluable, without a clear business strategy, even the best products struggle to gain traction.
2. Believing a Great Product Is Enough
It’s understandable — many founders come from the world of product development and engineering, where the focus is on building something great. However, they often assume that simply having a great product will naturally lead to success. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Even the best products fail without proper market fit, go-to-market strategy, and customer acquisition plans.
3. Ignoring Business Expertise
Too often, technical founders don’t include anyone with business experience in their core team. Roles like marketers, strategists, or business development specialists are crucial for scaling. A brilliant product can still fail if the company’s growth and market approach are poorly executed. Without the right people guiding the business side, it’s easy to hit dead ends.
4. Overloading Investors with Technical Jargon
Another common mistake is failing to simplify the product’s value when speaking to investors. Founders assume that technical jargon will impress, but most investors don’t care about the intricate details of how the product works. What they care about is the value the product provides, its potential market, and how it can generate returns. Knowing how to communicate your idea in a clear, concise manner is far more impactful than overly complex technical language.
5. Struggling to Simplify for Customers
The difficulty in simplifying technical details often extends to communication with customers. Founders can struggle to explain their product in a way that resonates with their target market, making it hard to gain early adopters or traction. If your customers can’t easily understand what you’re offering or why it matters, it’s unlikely they’ll be interested in trying it.
6. Underestimating Fundraising Effort
First-time founders often assume that sending a few cold emails to potential investors is enough. The truth is, fundraising is a numbers game. Particularly for new founders, securing investment requires sending hundreds of emails, conducting numerous meetings, and refining the pitch over time. It’s all about persistence and volume in the early stages.
7. Thinking Marketing Comes After Product
One of the biggest misconceptions is that marketing happens after the product is finished. In reality, marketing should be an ongoing process, starting long before the product launch. Marketing insights help shape the product itself — determining the right features, identifying the target audience, and guiding early product iterations. Skipping this step leads to products that miss the mark with their intended users, no matter how well they’re built.
The Bottom Line:
Don’t fall into the trap of technical overload. It’s crucial to find a balance between business and technical aspects — as a founder, this is your job.
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