The hottest Product Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

The best growth advice of 2024

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 418 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
💼 Business Growth Strategy Product Development
  1. Measure how well your product keeps users every week. This helps you understand if your product is genuinely useful and worth their time.
  2. Active participation in online communities can help build your brand and attract eager users. Engage in places like Facebook, Reddit, or Slack to connect with potential customers.
  3. Consider changing how you charge for your services. Instead of just a subscription fee, think about charging based on the work done or features used to better match your product's value.

The independent landscape

Kenny’s Sub • 119 implied HN points • 02 Jul 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Freelancing Product Development
  1. Making money independently is tough, and there's no one clear way to do it. Each person has to try different methods and find what works for them.
  2. Starting with client work is often easier than jumping straight into creating products. It allows for earning money quickly while learning about business.
  3. Whether you choose to work alone or start an agency, finding balance is key. You need to manage time, energy, and ensure your projects get the attention they need.

The Explore That Cannot Fail Is Not An Explore

Software Design: Tidy First? • 375 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Software Design User Behavior Product Development Experimentation Externalities
  1. Exploring new ideas is important, but they should be tested carefully to see if they work.
  2. Sometimes, even if an idea works, it might have negative side effects that aren't worth it.
  3. The best experiments are those that try new things without risking too much; it's all about learning and improving.

Cultivating Excellence in Teams with Continuous Software Engineering — Part 1: Defining Excellence through 5 Characteristics

The Healthy Engineering Leader • 99 implied HN points • 09 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Team Dynamics Product Development Continuous Improvement
  1. An effective team knows what its customers want and focuses on building the right product. They prioritize features based on customer needs and data.
  2. High craftsmanship involves a team that produces quality work while minimizing bugs. They continuously learn and share knowledge to improve their software.
  3. Good communication and collaboration create a cohesive team environment. Everyone feels safe to share ideas, which helps solve problems together.
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In awe of InVision

Product Identity • 59 implied HN points • 21 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Startup Culture Community Building Product Development
  1. InVision is shutting down, marking the end of a significant era in design tools. Many people feel nostalgic about what InVision contributed to the design community.
  2. Despite its financial struggles, InVision played an important role in shaping design culture and education. It connected designers and provided valuable resources.
  3. The story of InVision shows that a company can have a lasting impact on its industry even if it doesn't succeed as a product. Building community is often more valuable than just providing tools.

How I Made My First Million Online

Day One • 479 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
💼 Business Online Marketing Content creation Monetization Community Building Product Development
  1. Choose a platform that fits your content format and engage with your community to build a loyal following.
  2. Creating products/services should revolve around solving your community's problems, listen to their struggles and offer solutions.
  3. Consistently create quality content, engage with others, and focus on helping people to build a successful online brand.

Cost of Acquisition (CAC) trap.

Elena's Growth Scoop • 1022 implied HN points • 12 May 23
💼 Business Marketing Metrics ROI Customer Acquisition Product Development
  1. Focus on optimizing payback period instead of just reducing CAC to improve ROI.
  2. Consider the profitability and long-term value of different acquisition channels before shutting them down based solely on CAC.
  3. The payback period is a superior metric for acquisition that focuses on reinvesting returns and optimizing various aspects like CAC, conversion rate, ARPU, and conversion time.

Nvidia and the AI scaling wall, and what founder mode really is

Alex's Personal Blog • 98 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Semiconductors Computing Startups Product Development
  1. Nvidia is experiencing strong demand for its new Blackwell GPUs, which are expected to outperform previous models. Major companies are eager to integrate these powerful chips into their systems.
  2. The concept of 'founder mode' is about being deeply involved in the critical details of your business. It's not just about delegating tasks, but collaborating closely with team members to achieve great outcomes.
  3. The AI industry continues to evolve with new ways to improve model performance. Nvidia's focus on scaling in various aspects shows that innovation in AI is still very much alive.

Steve Jobs - ‘Don’t Ask Your Customers What They Want, Why?’ | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 519 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
💼 Business Product Development Innovation Entrepreneurship Technology Marketing
  1. Start with the customer experience in mind when developing products, not just technology.
  2. Avoid asking customers what they want; focus on innovative solutions beyond functional needs.
  3. Creativity involves connecting different ideas and industries to innovate and simplify products.

How AI security companies fail

Frankly Speaking • 254 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
💼 Business Startups Market Trends Product Development AI Technology Risk management
  1. AI security companies face both market and product risks. If there's no market for their products, they can't succeed.
  2. Startups often fail due to common issues like poor timing or operations. This is true for AI security startups as well.
  3. Many AI security companies are throwing out new ideas to see what works. This trial-and-error approach leads to uncertainty in the market.

6 lessons from Y-Combinator, 10 years later

Pratap’s Substack • 317 implied HN points • 26 Mar 24
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Innovation Product Development Customer Service
  1. Speed is important. It's better to launch something quickly, even if it has some flaws, than to wait for everything to be perfect.
  2. Don't always trust the experts. Sometimes, it's better to have fresh perspectives, and young talent can surprise you with their creativity.
  3. Talking to users is crucial. Getting direct feedback and engaging with them in person helps to really understand their needs and build a stronger product.

A Culture of Innovation

The Polymerist • 132 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
💼 Business Product Development Innovation Marketing Sales Team Structure
  1. Having a well-equipped lab is crucial for innovation in fields like chemistry. Safety is incredibly important, and people need to know how to operate in a lab to prevent accidents.
  2. Long-term thinking is necessary for product development. Even great ideas can take years to become profitable, so careful planning and decision-making about launching products are key.
  3. A culture of collaboration between teams is essential for success. Sales, marketing, and technical teams need to communicate effectively to help ensure new products meet market demands and are profitable.

Five Important Yet Frequently Missed User Archetypes

Elena's Growth Scoop • 766 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
💼 Business Customer Engagement Marketing Strategy Customer Experience Product Development
  1. Core users are important, but don't overlook other user archetypes.
  2. Different user archetypes like power users, viral users, champions, high-LTV users, and adjacent users play unique roles in shaping your business strategy.
  3. Identify and cater to each user archetype to ensure sustainable company growth.

Quitting freelancing to build products

Kenny’s Sub • 239 implied HN points • 01 Apr 24
💼 Business Freelancing Entrepreneurship Product Development Marketing Client Management
  1. Freelancing can consume a lot of time and energy, making it hard to work on personal projects. Focusing entirely on building your own products might be a better choice for growth.
  2. Getting paid as a freelancer can be tricky and often requires chasing clients. Having good platforms can help with payment security and reduce the hassle.
  3. When developing products, it's important to try out various ideas. Finding what works best often means experimenting and adjusting based on feedback and demand.

Briefing: YouTube’s big bets, Snap slumps, Airbnb’s Winter Redesign

Department of Product • 353 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Tech news Product Development AI Data Trends
  1. YouTube is focusing on subscriptions with over 100 million paying subscribers, positioning itself as a subscription superpower.
  2. Snap's stock slumped after Q4 results, but the company reached 7 million paid subscribers for its product.
  3. Google Maps introduced LLM search, enabling users to search using key phrases for recommendations in the US, with expansion planned.

User Research Guide For Founders, Part 1: Getting Started

Elizabeth Laraki • 179 implied HN points • 25 Apr 24
💼 Business User Research Product Development Startups Entrepreneurship Market Analysis
  1. Set clear and specific research goals to know exactly what you want to learn from users.
  2. Choose the right research method, like interviews or usability studies, based on whether you need feedback on a concept or an existing product.
  3. Turn your research goals into specific questions that are easy for people to answer, making it easier to gather useful information.

AI is breadth-first, not depth-first

The AI Frontier • 99 implied HN points • 06 Jun 24
🕹 Technology AI Product Development Innovation Data Strategy Market Analysis
  1. AI works well across many tasks but struggles with the details. It can help with brainstorming or basic coding but doesn't replace expert-level understanding.
  2. When building AI products, think beyond one industry or function. There are opportunities where different jobs connect and can benefit from shared data.
  3. It's important to understand what experts want from your AI. They expect quality insights, so your AI should be ready to provide that next level of detail.

Design Leaders Should Go “Founder Mode”

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 69 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🪑 Design UX Design Leadership Product Development Team Dynamics
  1. Design leaders should adopt a hands-on, founder-like approach rather than climbing traditional corporate ladders. This allows for more effective and quick decision-making.
  2. AI can greatly boost productivity in design teams, allowing smaller teams to achieve results that used to require larger departments. This leads to flatter organizational structures.
  3. Being a leader in design today means having a clear vision for the team's success and making sure that vision fits well with the rest of the organization.

Marketing day

André Casal's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 19 Aug 24
💼 Business Marketing Entrepreneurship Startups Product Development
  1. Working hard on marketing doesn't always guarantee great results. Spending 12 hours led to only a few followers and impressions.
  2. Creating original content might attract more attention than just reaching out to people. Focusing on product improvement could be more valuable.
  3. It's important to track the right metrics for success. Being aware of sign-ups can help identify areas that need improvement.

🧠 Knowledge Series #23: Passkeys explained

Department of Product • 314 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Security Product Development User Experience Cybersecurity Authentication
  1. Passkeys are digital keys replacing traditional passwords, enhancing security and creating unique keys for each account and device.
  2. Major companies like Uber, Apple, Google, and Microsoft are actively supporting and implementing passkeys for a passwordless future.
  3. Product teams can implement passkeys by understanding how they work and following a step-by-step guide for integration.

Getting better at 𝕏

André Casal's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 19 Aug 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Marketing Technology Community Building Product Development
  1. To grow your audience on X, try following big accounts in your field and engaging with their posts. This way, you can gain followers by sharing your thoughts and support.
  2. Using SEO tags can help more people find you on Google, which is a smart way to increase visibility for your business.
  3. Creating a community for your product can foster discussions and improvements, even if it feels a bit empty at first. It's a great way for users to connect and share ideas.

Oh no, don't look - it's Developer Marketing

Permit.io’s Substack • 39 implied HN points • 24 Jul 24
💼 Business Marketing Conferences Technology Community Product Development
  1. Marketing to developers is really different from regular marketing. You can’t just tell them they’re doing things wrong; you need to connect with their community and understand their challenges.
  2. At conferences, it’s important to engage with developers at different levels. Not everyone taking a sticker will become a customer, and that's okay. It's more about building relationships.
  3. Offering flexibility in your product is key. Developers have different needs, so let them use only what they want without forcing features on them.

Let me use my local LMs on Meta Ray-Bans

Democratizing Automation • 134 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Innovation Product Development User Experience
  1. New AI devices like Meta Ray-Bans are becoming popular, changing our expectations for technology. They make tasks easier and more fun, but they need to improve to stay relevant.
  2. Local language models are important for privacy and speed. They should be used for specific, efficient tasks rather than trying to be general-purpose models.
  3. Creating an open platform where developers can integrate their own AI models would enhance innovation and make devices like Ray-Bans more useful. Allowing customization could lead to a more exciting future for technology.

Long overdue life updates

box. • 419 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Product Development Personal Growth Leadership Time management
  1. Finding a balance between creating for an audience and focusing on personal projects is tricky but important. Having too many outside distractions can slow down real work, so taking breaks from attention helps keep goals on track.
  2. Loneliness is a big issue that needs meaningful solutions. Sometimes it's hard to work on this emotionally heavy topic, but caring about it makes the work feel worthwhile.
  3. Managing time as a solo founder can be challenging. Setting boundaries and valuing personal time helps stay focused on what truly matters, without getting overwhelmed by small tasks.

TBM 278: The Power of Firsthand Experience

The Beautiful Mess • 793 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
💼 Business Product Management Team Dynamics Customer Insights Product Development Decision-making
  1. Having firsthand experience is crucial in understanding product concepts, like observing failed launches or successful market fit.
  2. Seeing a team hit dead ends before succeeding can encourage more leeway for experimentation and resilience.
  3. Direct access to customers, effective team dynamics, and confronting false assumptions can greatly impact decision-making and product success.

I've found the last missing piece 🔍

André Casal's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 13 Aug 24
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Marketing Product Development
  1. The founder had productive calls with developers, gaining insights to improve their project after the launch. It's important to listen to experienced people to refine your ideas.
  2. They enhanced their landing page by adding testimonials and changing the pricing strategy, which could help attract more customers. Good copy and clear pricing can make a big difference.
  3. The next steps include generating social proof and setting up a Product Hunt pre-launch page, showing a plan to engage potential users and increase visibility before launch.

Unlocking simplicity: Customer empathy as a (not-so-secret) weapon

amivora • 5 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
💼 Business Customer Experience Strategy Product Development Marketing User Research
  1. Spending time with customers is really important for understanding what to simplify in your product. It might not seem helpful right away, but it leads to better decisions in the long run.
  2. Using your own product to identify issues can teach you a lot. Observing how customers interact with it often reveals what's working and what's frustrating for them.
  3. Deep emotional responses from customers indicate what matters most to them. Getting those insights helps shape what you should focus on and improve in your offerings.

Intel Q3'2024 Financials: Hallowe'en

More Than Moore • 256 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Semiconductors Business strategy Financial Analysis Product Development Market Trends
  1. Intel's recent financial report shows a drop in revenue but highlights some solid fundamentals when looking closer. The big losses are mostly from costs tied to restructuring and asset impairment, but without those, the numbers look much better.
  2. The company is focusing heavily on improving its margins and operations with new products coming up, especially in AI and client computing. However, they face tough competition in the AI market, lagging behind companies like NVIDIA.
  3. There are expectations for recovery in margins and revenue as newer products are released in the coming years. Overall, the restructuring seems to have some positive signs, but Intel needs to effectively deliver on its promised technology advancements.

Preparing to launch 🚀

André Casal's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 12 Aug 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Marketing Finance Product Development
  1. Testing the payment flow is crucial. It's important to ensure the payment system works correctly before launching, so real-world testing with coupon codes can help ease nerves.
  2. Improving the landing page can make a big difference. Sometimes stepping away helps you see what's unnecessary or unclear, allowing for better, more precise wording.
  3. Planning next steps is essential for a successful launch. Focus on pricing strategy, generating social proof, and preparing for platforms like Product Hunt to boost visibility.

Customer Courtship: Sampling

The Polymerist • 66 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
💼 Business Product Development Customer Relations Marketing Strategies Supply Chain Chemical Industry
  1. Sending product samples to customers can be a complex and crucial part of building a business relationship. It's like dating, and both parties need to understand what they want out of the relationship.
  2. Understanding how customers intend to use your product is vital. Knowing their goals will help you tailor your product to meet their needs effectively.
  3. Getting feedback from customers after they test your samples is important. This feedback may lead to modifications and adjustments, which can take time and resources to implement.

AI news roundup: You see what you want to see

The AI Frontier • 79 implied HN points • 23 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Innovation Consumer Tech Market Trends Product Development
  1. Recent AI updates have sparked excitement and frustration; everyone interprets them differently, like a Rorschach test.
  2. The improvements in AI tech are impressive, particularly in multimodality, but their impact varies between consumer and enterprise applications.
  3. The AI market is growing rapidly, with hype increasing and many companies looking to innovate, but there are still big questions about the future and how to stay competitive.