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Your idea is solid. You’ve validated the problem. Now what? This section walks you through everything you need to successfully grow and the essential metrics to track to scale your startup.

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Launching: Start Small, Learn Fast

Launch and early growth aren’t only about scaling, they’re about proving that people want what you’ve built. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to navigating your growth.

Do:

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• [ ] Start with a narrow audience you can reach
• [ ] Over-invest in early users (support, design partners, community, feedback)
• [ ] Set up metrics to track behavior

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Don’t:

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• [ ] Wait too long for a “perfect” version
• [ ] Mistake signs of attention (sign ups, clicks, or saying they like the idea) with actual usage or commitment (using the product, returning to it again, paying for the product, or recommending it to others).
• [ ] Launch without clear success metrics

Check a16z’s Startup Metric article:

16 Startup Metrics | Andreessen Horowitz

Before You Measure: Evaluate Where You Are

Before jumping into growth metrics, it’s essential to understand your current PMF stage. Are you still validating your market? In iteration mode? Starting to scale? Your success metrics should evolve based on where you are in this journey.

• Start here: PMF Self-Evaluation

  Assess your current level of product-market fit. Are people coming back? Are you solving a real pain? Are customers referring others?

  For more information, check out our PMF page here:

  Examine & Strengthen Your PMF (Product-Market Fit)

• Customer Snapshot Table

  Outline a simple table of 3–5 customers. What problem did they come to solve? How did they find you? What’s working or not?