The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
Wave Surfer Strategy (Trend Riding)
A strategy of quickly shipping tools that solve problems highlighted in viral content or trending topics, building on existing attention rather than creating it
How It Works
Leverages existing viral momentum and attention to validate and distribute products quickly, reducing the need to manufacture demand from scratch
Components
Monitor viral posts and trending topics for pain points
Ship a basic solution within 48 hours of trend emergence
Build virality into the product itself (make it inherently shareable)
Monetize through advertising rather than subscriptions due to high attention/low intent
When to Use
When you can ship extremely fast (24-48 hours), have technical skills to build MVPs quickly, and can identify trending pain points
When Not to Use
When you can't ship rapidly, prefer long-term brand building, or are in industries where trends don't drive purchasing decisions
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Example
“After a viral tweet complains about fake revenue screenshots, someone ships a revenue verification tool within 48 hours, makes the verified screenshots inherently shareable on social media, and monetizes through advertising to the high-value entrepreneur audience”