Ask HN: What's one book or article I should read before starting a company? Classic story for HN I assume. I'm a developer with an idea for a SaaS trying to figure out what's in store for me if I pursue it. My question in a nutshell: What are the current best practices around product development and growing a SaaS startup? |
Still a fun read and should inject a dose of realism in your own plans.
Product development is straightforward. Build something a few people love, not something a lot of people kinda like. Landing sites, sign ups, questionnaires, focus groups.. all that is meaningless. The litmus test is how much money they throw at you. The early adopters often have already hacked together a solution that is ugly and unstable, and if you can build something better, they'll happily give you money. Launch your solution early, take note of criticism, and quickly fix it.
Reading a book is easier than finding customers. Without customers, all the books in the world won't matter. Reading books is useful in school. It's useful before interviews. It's not a substitute for facing face to face rejection. Reference: Before the startup http://www.paulgraham.com/before.html
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