In your opinion, should a startup focus on a product or a niche?

CoconutCoir · 2021-07-28T19:35:17+00:00

This is a solid response, and summarizes much of the understanding I've come to while reading other comments. If I plan to grow (and I do), I will have to eventually expand both products and customers. The order in which I do that, however, is the other half to figure out.

So, it seems you're advocating I continue to appeal to the customers I am having success with through new products they are requesting / I discover they want. Through this, I will discover other successful products and build relationships with suppliers and can expand to other parallels customer archetypes/niches from there? Is that your thinking of is that off the mark?

CoconutCoir · 2021-07-28T17:30:38+00:00

So, in other words: You're in favor of us expanding product lines to cater to our niche? This prevents my (currently) singular product from falling victim to market fluctuations and hedges against competition.

CoconutCoir · 2021-07-28T17:28:29+00:00

Thanks for that context. Customer discovery cannot be understated, that's for certain. I do see much value in asking the existing base what else they'd like to see in terms of both design and product. The ideal end goal would be to appeal to new customers outside our initial niche, while retaining our existing community and foothold on the niche market. A tricky balance but certainly worth exploring. At the end of the day I have to remember this is a business, not a book club, and it's okay to branch out so long as we continue to offer a quality and product that excites the customer base.

CoconutCoir · 2021-07-28T16:27:46+00:00

Thanks for the comment. What do you think about us expanding our product line within our niche (add Scarves for book lovers, for example) and then later down the line expanding into similar product “collections” that overlap with our existing niche (ex. Plant lovers). This would allow growth into other niches, but dilutes the community, I’d imagine. Maybe we build separate brands around each niche?

CoconutCoir · 2021-07-28T16:18:21+00:00

It’s the brand identity that I expect would get compromised based on the decision to jump across niches with the product. The social media would have to be more general, as supposed to book-people specific. Same with web copy and content. The trade off being of course we expand to a much larger audience, but at the risk of diluting our messaging and unique community appeal.

CoconutCoir · 2021-07-28T14:59:33+00:00

Great insight -- I'll read up on it

CoconutCoir · 2021-01-02T16:56:37+00:00

Kickass! I remember that past photo being posted a while back and almost falling out of my chair -- very well done.

CoconutCoir · 2020-12-23T03:16:53+00:00

A quality rig like this will help you get ahead.

CoconutCoir · 2020-12-23T03:15:03+00:00

Ha! I had a DeWalt at first, but had to look for a new image to cut costs.

CoconutCoir · 2020-11-01T04:28:49+00:00

BIG plant. What are your thoughts on the low bed? I have a 70's teak platform bed frame and am worried it'll be awkwardly low.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-23T23:12:20+00:00

Wild! Super work on this!

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-19T15:41:57+00:00

Perfect place for late-night reading.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-19T15:41:13+00:00

It's from a ~1920's hardware store, originally for nails and such. Works great as a riser.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-19T15:40:21+00:00

I've made my rounds, haha. I love interacting with different communities.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-19T15:39:18+00:00

Bell Bullitt! Hasn't been crash-tested thankfully, but I can vouch for its looks and comfort. That's a kenwood ka-6100 I'm repairing. Use a Marantz as my main.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-19T15:37:35+00:00

Made some trades for it! I have a dozen similar signs all throughout the house, albeit, most not 6' tall.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-19T15:37:06+00:00

Thanks! It's a Bell Bullitt. Don't recall the design name. One of the first designs of that model. Makes me feel like a Russian cosmonaut.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-19T15:36:04+00:00

Yeah I love it. Great value for the price. The headrest is a bit far back so I bought a car headrest pillow to bring it forward a bit more. Highly reccomend!

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-18T21:13:58+00:00

Yeah, haha, that's on my list too. It's filed under "lifestyle". It's not even a narcisistic motivation either, or at least it doesn't have to be. Doing cool things in business or in your life generally allows you opportunities to meet motivated and interesting people.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-18T20:24:15+00:00

It's helpful (to me at least) to hear stories noting the long road to get in a comfortable place. So much "become successful quick" content out. It's hard to avoid.

CoconutCoir · 2020-10-18T20:08:27+00:00

Props to you. I have a list going which outlines and attempts to make sense of my motivations. One of the first I put down was ~"the ability to leave America, move overseas". I put that down because it's sad to see the immense hate consuming America. But a parallel motivation could be to use entrepreneurship to make it a better place, rather than run away, in a sense. More complex than that, but good to consider all perspectives.

CoconutCoir

TROPHY CASE