Is abandoning a potentially profitable project for lack of "founder fit" really just fear of success?
Product/market fit is a common mantra for startups and hackers, but recently I've been thinking more about product/market/founder fit. Is abandoning a potentially profitable project for lack of "founder fit" really just fear of success, and something to overcome? Or is it more of a strategic decision to maximize personal happiness over the long run? Maybe both?
The heart of this question is about the delicate balance of personal enjoyment vs. the sheer grit required to push a business forward when the going gets rough. It seems worth it when you actually really like your customers/product/etc., but what if you don't?
I realize that the answer will depend largely on the individual and the circumstances. I'd love to hear stories from anyone who had tangible proof that your idea could have become a great business (or already was a great business), but you had the self-awareness to realize that you were not the right person to build it.
How did you come to this conclusion? What regrets do you have, if any? And what were you able to accomplish instead of spending time on that idea?
I agree that founder market is hugely important, but finding product market fit is very difficult, and if you have something that works, I'd be very hesitant to walk away from the project.
In this kind of situation I tend to look for a partner.
Find someone that is excited about the market/customer etc, that is a good fit for the skills that you have, and will let you focus on the part of the project that excites you.
Typically people come to me with ideas that I'm not very interested in, but I can see their passion for what they are trying to do, and I'm happy to help them get started on the journey. I'm involved for a while, and then move on to other things (I'm open with them that this is my plan.)
Great advice. Thank you for this @Mubs.
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@Mubs - My feeling exactly. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) the project I've been hacking on isn't far enough along to know yet. The market research I've done so far has led me to believe there's good potential - at least worth more testing. But the more that success seems likely, the more I'm thinking seriously about what my life would look like if I fully committed. Do I care about this problem/market enough to devote the necessary time and energy to it? I'm also a new dad, so time with my family is a big factor too.
I like this advice. It feels like a prudent step forward for the project without shouldering the whole burden.
Thanks for sharing and the advice!
Awesome, hope it works out for you!
One thing that I found useful is spotting my fear of success. It is really hard for me to differentiate between it and anything else — in this case possible lack of founder fit.
The best resource I found on how to spot fear of success is this article by Mark Manson. The gist of what I got out of it is things that threaten our identity tend to go hand in hand with our fears of success. (For example, say I identify myself as a developer, so I procrastinate/lose interest in non-developer things.)Now, this may not be true in your case, but I have used it as a tool to filter out what is actual fear of success and what is not.
So in your case, it might be helpful to ask yourself if you really HAVE achieved founder fit, but feel like you are losing interest because it messes with your identity. Again, I'm not saying this is true for you, just that I found this question useful in my journey.
Good luck.
Speaking for myself, I am fortunate enough to have a good financial cushion. Therefore, I can afford to care about founder fit. But if I were more desperate for income, I would not abandon a project for lack of founder fit. As you said, it really depends on your circumstances, personality, and priorities.
Personally, this is how I felt about it :
Always confused about whether it's an actual problem since I didn't experience it first hand.
I found it difficult to ask the right questions to users. When I got a valuable answer, I couldn't get the most out of it. Customer interviews became only partially effective.
I started losing interest in the idea and stop working on the idea midway( After a few years though).
You won't have all the 3 problems when you start but if you end up with one of the problems listed here, things might become difficult.
Again, there are many who have built successful businesses without founder fit as well.
I'm not saying it's impossible. If you're aware of these problems upfront and find ways to fix it.
You can :). All the best.
@friendlyguy thanks for your thoughts and encouragement! Man, I can totally relate with all three of those at different points and on various projects. I feel like #1 probably kills the majority of my ideas before I even get started :P
#3 seems particularly relevant to my question about founder fit. It seems so difficult to tell sometimes if I'm just having an off week (or month) or if I'm really losing interest to the point where it's time to let someone who is better suited serve the market.
I know there isn't an easy answer here, but it's helpful to know there are other hackers out there who understand. Thanks for sharing!
I really had no experience while starting my first web app back in 2016. It's 2020 and I've learned some nice things. Your current experiences prepare you for the future. Don't give up. Keep going. No one is the right person to do anything if they do it like someone else. Do this thing the right way: Your way. If it's your company, you've achieved founder fit. :)
I appreciate your insight @neu!
I've found that to be true on my journey as well. I also built my first web app around the same time as you (~2016). I basically made all of the textbook mistakes - one big one was trying to follow other successful startups' patterns too closely without really understanding how it would apply in my circumstances.
The problem was that my definition of success ended up being wildly different than theirs. I tried to built my solution as if I was venture backed (I wasn't, nor did I want to be). I didn't understand that the typical target market and business strategy of VC startups just isn't possible for a small side gig, which seems obvious in retrospec.
Ultimately, as you said, our experiences make us more prepared for what's ahead in the future. And hopefully we can avoid our past mistakes!
Certainly! The surest way to succeed is to always try one more time. I wish you plenty of success ahead. I hope you achieve great things!