My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Find Customers First, Then Build Products
Timeframe: Already happening, will accelerate over next 5-10 years
What's Changing
Traditional model of build-then-find-customers is being replaced by build-audience-then-create-products
Driving Forces
Internet allows direct audience building
Content creation tools democratized
Social media enables audience relationships
Lower cost to test and validate ideas
Winners
- Content creators who build products for their audience
- Creators who transition from advertising to ownership
- Young internet-native entrepreneurs
Losers
- Traditional product-first companies without distribution
- Advertising-dependent content businesses
- Companies that can't build direct audience relationships
How to Position Yourself
Build audience before building products
Focus on audience problems and needs
Use content to validate product ideas
Transition from advertising to product ownership
Early Signals to Watch
Example Implementation
“Finance podcaster builds 25M download audience, then launches job board, recruiting service, and research subscription all serving the same audience”
Related Knowledge
Vertical-Specific Holding Company
Content creators hit revenue ceiling with advertising and struggle to scale beyond their personal capacity
Capital + Distribution Framework
A business building approach where you leverage existing capital and distribution channels to launch multiple products/services rather than operating them directly.
Transition from advertising revenue to owning the products you promote
Higher revenue per audience member, better margins, and more sustainable business model
Higher Success Probability with Own Business
The probability of making money starting your own business with 50-100K is higher than angel investing the same amount
Young contrarian people create the most interesting opportunities
Seek out and work with young people who think differently rather than traditional high achievers
you're much more likely to be able to take fifty a hundred thousand dollars start a business and get
Starting your own business has higher success probability than angel investing