Comments on: Not Cheap, Not Disposable

By: Links from March 17th to 31st | theotherlane.com Blog

Links from March 17th to 31st | theotherlane.com Blog — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 02:34:54 +0000

[...] An argument against the “Fail Fast” mantra [link] [...]

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:48:43 +0000

Being a web-developer, I TOTALLY agree with you, especially on your last quote:
Isn't it true that most long-lasting startups are entertaining as opposed to problem-solvers, or am I wrong there?

By: nemra

nemra — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:18:59 +0000

Agree. “Fail fast” or even “validate fast” can be applied to technologies and features, and it might be a best approach for those cases. But building a product means keeping it alive, making it better and valuable for customers, and it is a long run (Facebooks and Twitters are not built in a day or a year) with critical points, strategy change, model change, etc… Having pre-startup “teams” for validating their ideas is good, while having a startup with its model, team and philosophy is a matter of “go forward and win”.

By: ccarella

ccarella — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:22:31 +0000

Timely post. I heard the “fail fast” advice given to a bunch of young entrepreneurs this morning at a startup camp and I cringed. If someone says iterate and fail fast in the same paragraph they may just be playing buzzword bingo.

By: cranstone

cranstone — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:51:46 +0000

Validation is the only way to go. In itself it is a form of failure. The smart guys add a feature at a time in response to the customers request (more like a prospect) and then immediately test that on another prospect. Validation/failure is part of the business. As they say, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, you have to be, as we say, willing to learn and adapt in all aspects of your business.

By: giffc

giffc — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:12:23 +0000

Thanks Mark. For the record, I didn't find your piece inflammatory at all but then again, I love a good intellectual rumble to stir things up

By: msuster

msuster — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:03:01 +0000

Thank you. A very well written post. More concise and less inflammatory than my post