There is a plethora of programs and conferences around the country incorporating the word “launch."  I happen to be engaged in or advising several start-ups that are wrestling with that issue at this moment and am devoting this post to that specific topic from the entrepreneur’s viewpoint.  Here are five thoughts:

1. This is the stage that tests the entrepreneur’s ability to tolerate ambiguity.  There is no clearly defined roadmap, and often a technology as conceived can be applied in many different ways.   Each of those ways may suggest different marketing paths, funding sources, and types of team members required.  It’s most difficult when all the directions look promising; it’s darn hard to let any of them go.  And, you can probably find all the advice you want for or against any particular selection.
2. The vision of the entrepreneur is put to the test.  Most don’t have the luxury of doing what Apple just did in Final Cut Pro X by inventing a new product it believes the world needs and giving short shrift to compatibility issues with earlier versions of its dominant FCP software.  Even Conan has picked up on this.  At launch many decisions have to be made based on a feel for the target market and a creative strategy than can only be tested in action.  When we developed Peachtree Software, it was pretty obvious what accounting looked like; we could launch as long as the debits and credits balanced and didn’t have to pay any attention to today’s trendy terms like use cases, UI and UX.
3. There is the currently popular issue of launching the MVP (minimally viable product) versus shooting for something bigger.  The MVP is a way to stake an early claim in a particular market segment and begin engaging actual customers, and it can certainly reduce the development cost risk.  On the other hand, a concept of broad scope may just never catch on if exposed piecemeal to its audience.  Everyone favors the lean startup, but not all ideas can be “leaned” to success.  Plus, the competition at that level is not one or two companies, it may be thousands cranking out overnight apps or other software or purely digital concepts.
4. The entrepreneur has to be adept at “discovery” – talking to developers, investors, partners, prospective revenue sources, and users to get some feel for what will fly in his or her chosen market.  I have been participating in a lot of these discovery meetings, and we always come away with something of value that helps us understand what is possible as opposed to what is imagined.  Knowing how to ask the right questions is critical.
5. Finally, a point was driven home yesterday in a church meeting I attended with about 20 smart and accomplished Austinites, none of whom except me had ever actually used Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media.  And, this is in a hip town with more than 200 mobile startups of some consequence.  Most of these folks had smart phones, but not all, and they have the basic tools of modern communication.  But, it’s important to realize that launching a really cool new product that ought to have the world knocking down your door has to overcome a whole lot of inertia.  The point is, before initiating the countdown and lighting the fuse, make sure you’ve talked not just with your tech peers but also with people that represent “real America” and aren’t breathlessly waiting for the next great innovation.  

<Apollo photo from Boeing site>