The lure of distribution partners is a very costly, bright shiny object for a startup tech company. I see channels treated as a silver bullet sales option far too frequently and saddened that this advice often comes from mentors and investors who don’t understand the fundamentals of early-stage tech adoption. I’ve been preaching the demand-first then distribution approach for longer than I care to remember and this Andreessen Horowitz podcast on B2B2C nails it. Startup founders that think they can jump the queue and proceed directly to a partner sales model should rethink their go-to-market.
Evolving a great idea into a sellable product requires a mix of innovation, instinct, and basic business discipline. My mission is to help early-stage founders understand start-up challenges, build their confidence, and establish their credibility. I’m not here to put lipstick on your pig or offer any silver bullets for venture funding; just grassroots experience blended with a little attitude and the occasional flinging of poo.
