@zachpogrob
Obsession beats discipline - go all-in on your craft until you either die or get reborn.
Product Obsession Over Marketing Framework
A product development philosophy that prioritizes making the product undeniably great over all marketing and promotion activities. The product itself becomes the marketing through organic sharing and word-of-mouth.
How It Works
Most products spend energy on distribution before the product deserves distribution. A truly great product generates its own organic marketing because users share it without being asked. The energy that would go into marketing instead goes into making every interaction remarkable. If people do not share it unprompted, the product is not good enough yet.
Components
Set a constraint: no money on marketing, no influencer partnerships, no paid campaigns
Focus entirely on making the product remarkable enough that people photograph and share it
Build waitlist through pure interest without incentives
Document the building journey publicly as the marketing
Measure success by organic sharing rate, not marketing metrics
When to Use
When building consumer products where quality and experience matter. When you have distribution through an existing audience. When you want to build something with lasting power rather than flash success.
When Not to Use
When you genuinely need market feedback before the product is ready. When distribution is a bigger problem than product quality. When competitors are moving fast and you need presence.
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Example
“A founder builds a running app with no paid ads. They post daily about the building process. They create a waitlist that 20k people join without incentives. They launch with a simple camcorder video instead of a polished ad. Users share the app because using it makes them look good. Product quality drives growth, not marketing spend.”