product Archives - Startup Economist

Why and How a Venture Determines It Is “Uniquely Better”

Thursday, 14 August 2025 by Paul O'Brien

In business strategy and marketing, “Uniquely Better” is more than a slogan, it’s the distillation of why a venture deserves to exist. The term sits alongside other well-known ideas such as competitive advantage, differentiation, and “moat,” but with a crucial twist: it forces you to define why customers should choose you over all other options.

Published in Insights / Research, Startups

7 Comments

Marketing is Leading Tech Companies Again, Faster Than You Think

Friday, 13 December 2024 by Paul O'Brien

The tectonic shift in how tech companies operate is unmistakable: whether evident in VCs saying Storytellers will run the world, advisors shifting to stress that media is most important, or research validating that marketing is what defines a company’s success or failure, people are waking up again to the fact that marketing runs your business.

development market research marketing product

Published in Advertising, AI, Insights / Research, Social Media

24 Comments

Neither Your Product nor Your Idea is Fundable

Sunday, 14 August 2022 by Paul O'Brien

How do I sell a startup that has a validated solution yet neither users nor revenue? Among the primary FAQs within startup incubators and of advisors, is how do I get my product funded? You know the question through the variety of ways in which it emerges: How do I raise startup capital for my

capitalism economic development entrepreneurship funding government innovation patents product startups venture capital

Published in Industry, Insights / Research, Raising Capital, Startups

35 Comments

Products and People Fail, Marketing Can’t.

Friday, 02 August 2019 by Paul O'Brien

Provocative thought, I hope. “Can’t”?? I’m sure you’ve felt frequently that Marketing has failed. You’ve had that consultant, agency, or tried what that marketing article advised, and it just didn’t work out. But I chose that word carefully. Not, “Doesn’t,” not, “won’t,” and not, “might,” because marketing actually can’t. Marketing is a practice; things you

entrepreneurship marketing product sales

Published in Advertising, Insights / Research, PR, Search, Social Media, Startups

20 Comments

A Marketer in Sheep’s Clothing

Tuesday, 04 January 2011 by Paul O'Brien

Perhaps the greatest convergence between entrepreneurs occurs when a Product person collaborates with a Marketer. Web services and mobile apps are increasingly easier to build but creating the next Mint, Square, or Mailchimp requires product genius. Exponentially increasing the likelihood of success, reducing risk, and scaling growth in a venture comes from a marketer who

austin camp product product management product marketing productcamp

Published in Conferences / Events

2 Comments