The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
“vitamin or painkiller vitamin don't want to be painkiller really need”
What It Means
Products solving urgent, desperate problems (painkillers) succeed better than nice-to-have improvements (vitamins)
Why It Matters
Painkillers command higher prices, better retention, and stronger word-of-mouth than vitamin products
When It's True
When evaluating product necessity and pricing strategy in competitive markets
When It's Risky
When mistaking user interest for desperate need, or when painkiller markets are oversaturated
How to Apply
Interview users about how desperately they need your solution
Test willingness to pay premium prices
Look for evidence of users spending significant money on current solutions
Example Scenario
“Dog allergy scanner is painkiller because owners desperately avoid making pets sick, while generic dog tracker is vitamin providing nice-to-have insights”
Related Knowledge
Rigged Slot Machine Framework
A business model where you know with high confidence that investing $1 will return $1.
Digital-to-IRL Conversion Framework
A systematic approach to taking successful digital products, services, or communities and recreating them as premium in-person experiences.
Leveraged Agency Progression Framework
A three-phase approach to building AI startups by starting with manual service work, then systematically replacing human labor with AI agents while maintaining service pricing and margins.
I'm trying to create like a rigged slot machine where I put a dollar in and get $1.30 out
Focus on predictable profitability rather than uncertain growth - find formula that works and scale it
This isn't your 101. You're going to be running a business by yourself with AI employees.
AI agents represent a fundamental shift from simple automation to full business operation assistance
usage-based business model MicroSaaS going get more more common
Usage-based pricing will become increasingly common for MicroSaaS products instead of flat monthly subscriptions