My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Story Supremacy Principle
A company's narrative and ability to tell a compelling story about their product is more important than the actual quality or features of the product itself
Decision Rule
When evaluating why some products succeed and others fail, look first at the quality and memorability of their story, not their technical specifications or feature set
How It Works
Humans make decisions emotionally and then rationalize them logically. A compelling story creates emotional attachment and gives people a reason to choose your product and advocate for it to others. Without a story, even great products remain unknown.
Failure Modes
Assuming product quality alone will drive adoption
Focusing on features instead of narrative
Thinking rational arguments are more persuasive than emotional ones
Neglecting story development until after product development
Example Decision
“YouTube succeeded over Vimeo despite Vimeo being a technically superior product because YouTube had a better story about democratizing video sharing for everyone, while Vimeo positioned itself as a platform for professionals.”