My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Products as Permission Slips
The most successful products often give customers permission to express a version of themselves they want to be but can't normally access
Decision Rule
Ask not 'what does this product do?' but 'what behavior does this product permit that people want but can't normally access?'
How It Works
People have desired identities blocked by social norms or confidence barriers; products that remove these barriers create disproportionate emotional value
Failure Modes
Focusing on product features instead of identity expression
Misunderstanding what permission customers actually want
Overengineering the product when simple permission is enough
Example Decision
“Positioning fake teeth not as novelty items but as permission slips to be playful and silly in socially acceptable ways”