Zero to One Playbook
From idea to product-market fit
Who This Is For
Founders and founding PMs
Pre-seed to Series A
You're validating an idea and need PMF before the runway ends
PMF isn't a survey score; it's pull. If you're pushing every deal and every user activation, keep iterating the product, not the pitch.
1. Pick the Right Problem
Evaluate ideas against markets, timing, and your own unfair advantages.
2. Validate and Sell
Do founder-led sales, land the first customers, and measure real fit signals.
Founder-Led Sales
Successful founder-led sales require transitioning from technical problem-solving to a direct reques...
View Skill → →Acquiring First B2B Customers
Early traction for a developer tool is best achieved by solving a hyper-specific problem for a singl...
View Skill → →Measuring Product-Market Fit
Macroeconomic shifts can fundamentally alter your customer base, making previous product-market fit...
View Skill → →3. Fund and Build the Team
Raise on momentum and assemble the founding team that scales.
Startup Fundraising and Exits
Bootstrapping forces founders to master the fundamental business skill of generating profit from the...
View Skill → →Founding Executive Team Building
True executive leverage is demonstrated by a leader's ability to influence and collaborate across th...
View Skill → →Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Hiring a salesperson before the founder can sell it
- Raising to find PMF instead of proving it first
- Confusing early-adopter enthusiasm with a market