Survive Then Scale

A framework for building successful businesses in emerging technology markets, focusing on survival and strategic positioning for future growth.

Core Strategy

• Start small and survive until industry matures
• Maintain lean operations (6-8 people teams)
• Focus on profitability over venture funding
• Position early in emerging markets with limited competition

Market Entry Timing

• Enter markets when they're small (20M vs 200M users)
• Take advantage of low competition in early stages
• Build foundation while market is developing
• Benefit from first-mover advantage when market matures

Growth Philosophy

• Grow proportionally with industry expansion
• If you maintain small % of industry that grows 100x, you grow 100x
• Don't require massive capital expenditure ($50M+ projects)
• Focus on projects manageable by small teams (3-5 people)

Team Building

• Keep teams intentionally small and efficient
• Focus on finding hungry, talented individuals
• Match talented people with promising opportunities
• Leverage existing tools and technology (game engines, platforms)

Current Example: VR Market

• Meta Quest platform showing promise for profitable businesses
• Apple entering market signals industry growth
• Multiple players investing heavily (Meta, Apple, Snap)
• Technology becoming more accessible and mainstream
• Tools and platforms have matured significantly

Success Metrics

• Small teams ($10M+ revenue with 5 people possible)
• Focus on profitability over VC investment
• Sustainable growth aligned with market expansion
• Building valuable expertise in emerging industry

Risk Management

• Don't overextend resources
• Stay lean until market proves itself
• Build expertise while waiting for market maturity
• Position for long-term success rather than quick exits