Don't Worry, Be Crappy
When we launched Buddy Media's first product in 2008, our software sucked.
It was buggy, basic, and missing most of the features we wanted. A perfectionist would have kept it in development for another six months.
We did not have six months.
I (Mike) went straight into the market with our head of sales, aggressively pitching workable but deeply imperfect software to anyone who would listen.
I (Kass) managed our operations and finance, making sure our engineering team focused only on fixing the exact pain points paying clients complained about.
We adopted Guy Kawasaki's mantra: "Don't worry, be crappy."
We did not wait for perfection. We launched, collected checks, took the direct hits from customer feedback, and iterated in real time. That speed allowed us to capture the market before competitors even got out of planning mode.
Why This Matters
Too many founders are constipated perfectionists.
They spend a year polishing a product in a vacuum, terrified of shipping anything with flaws. They convince themselves they are protecting their brand, but they are really just protecting their ego.
Your reputation is not ruined by an imperfect first release. Your company is ruined when you run out of runway while trying to make a prototype look like finished art.
Let paying customers and their complaints dictate your product roadmap.
Ship the Imperfect Version
Stop tweaking features that nobody has paid for yet.
Put your workable product in front of real buyers this week. Collect the feedback, embrace the rough edges, and fix the plane while it is flying.
A Question to Sit With
What product are you holding back right now because it isn't perfect yet?
Love,
