6. Don’t Be a First Mover; Be the First to Get It Right

The first product in a category is often too strange, expensive, or incomplete for mainstream customers. Its real contribution is evidence: early adopters reveal what matters and what still blocks adoption. Later entrants can use that evidence to arrive when the market is ready with a product that crosses the gap.

Study failed and niche predecessors rather than celebrating novelty for its own sake. Ask what early adopters loved, why everyone else stayed away, and which recent change removes that barrier. No competitors may mean no demand; too many may mean the window has closed. Timing and learning matter more than being first.

Original sketch and model by Paras Chopra. Read the source chapter.