What happens between customer requests and implementation?

What happens between customer requests and implementation?

EVERYTHING

Typically it goes like this...

Find a Customer -> Sales Process -> Customer request -> Design/Scoping -> Agreement in principle -> Contract -> Signature -> Build

That's a road to disaster for building a product-led Silicon Valley-style startup.

It should look like this...

Define your ideal customer -> Find ideal Customers -> Sales Process -> Customer Request -> Product Strategy Discussion -> Fork in the road

1. Path 1: If it's on the *near term* roadmap and on the *short-term* strategy then:

Generalization -> Design/Scoping -> Agreement in principle -> Contract -> Signature -> Build

2. Path 2: If it's NOT on the *near-term* roadmap and/or on the *short-term* strategy, then:

Develop a generalized, thoughtful, and complete formal pushback -> Push back on the customer -> Win or lose the deal, but don't distract your business.

This process should go down path 2 80% of the time (if not more).