The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
Distribution as the New Moat
In the current business environment, the ability to reach and engage audiences is more valuable and defensible than traditional competitive advantages like technology or features.
Decision Rule
When evaluating business opportunities or strategies, prioritize those that build sustainable audience reach and engagement over pure product features or technical innovation.
How It Works
Products can be copied quickly, but audiences take time to build and create network effects. Distribution capability compounds over time and becomes harder for competitors to replicate.
Failure Modes
Assuming good products automatically find audiences
Building distribution on platforms you don't control without owned channels
Focusing on vanity metrics rather than engaged, convertible audiences
Example Decision
“A startup chooses to spend 70% of early efforts building audience through viral video content rather than adding product features, because the audience becomes the moat that drives sustainable growth.”