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- ♞ Why Urgency Beats Size Early On
The biggest killer for startups isn’t a small market—it’s a market that doesn’t care.
Founders love talking about TAM—total addressable market. It sounds sexy on pitch decks. But here’s a question you should ask first: “How quickly do customers need what I’m building?”
Think about it like this:
Market potential tells you how big you could get over time.
Market pull tells you how fast people will actually reach for your solution today.
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If you’re chasing a large market that’s slow to move, you’ll likely face:
Longer periods before meaningful traction
Higher costs to convince people to adopt
Pressure to raise more capital just to keep running
If you target a smaller market with immediate demand, you might enjoy:
Rapid learning from early adopters
Faster sales cycles
Organic growth through word-of-mouth
Neither scenario is inherently “better.” The trick is matching your approach to your stage. Early-stage ventures benefit from urgency because it gives momentum and feedback quickly. Later-stage startups can lean into scale once demand is proven.
Takeaway: Don’t chase market size alone. Focus on solving problems that people need solved now. That’s what keeps startups alive—and growing.
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Onwards and Upwards,
