If someone who loves you is wrong for you, you need to dump them and move on. You can’t two time as a startup.
This post is inspired by the KaChing case study on Startup Lessons Learned on Pivoting on Eric Ries blog, and this quote;
Which is a nice story. But when kaChing actually shut down each game, hundreds of angry players spewed venom. “We had to ignore them, because they weren’t our target audience – and were never likely to become customers.” says Rachleff.
We see the look on the face of our co-founders all the time when they are trying to be nice. They’ve put their product out there, and they’ve seen a few buds of interest grow and some bloom into an interested segment. But then they realise that another segment is the one they should commit to – it’s stronger, deeper, bigger, more likely to be profitable.
That’s good to work out, but now you need to have the guts to stop supporting the other customer segments. If you have to spend a lot of money and time to maintain them, it’s an easier question – ditch them and save time and money.
But, even if you don’t have to maintain them, it can be far too expensive to keep supporting them. Why?
- Your brand. What are you? As a startup, you might know what you are and your vision, but the rest of the world doesn’t. If you’re trying to be two things, then it will be about 10% as effective (complexity costs!).
- Your attention. Focus makes you stronger. It makes life simple and easier, and life is tough enough in a startup.
No one likes to break up with anyone. And these customers are early and fresh and full of love for you. It’s hard. But you need to be firm and get it done. It’s hurting both of you. You’re not really looking after them. Maybe you’ll be ready for them one day, but not today.
Do it nicely. Don’t burn bridges. But do it.
It’s not you, it’s them. (Unless you two time, then it’s you!).
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