Ticking: Perceptions Around the Importance of Time to Market
In the startup world, one ticking clock echoes through every founder’s, CEO’s, Executive Leadership Team’s (ELT), engineer’s, VC’s, and customer’s conversation, decision, and milestone: Time to Market (TTM).
It’s the invisible metronome to which everyone marches, but each stakeholder feels the rhythm and tempo differently. Regardless of your position, your perspective on TTM shapes how you view the path to success – and the friction that inevitably arises.
Why does this matter more than ever? Because the landscape has fundamentally changed. There are more competitors than ever, and AI tools have accelerated TTM.
The proliferation of tools driven by “AI and other technologies” means that iterations happen faster, and solutions evolve at breakneck speed. Under these conditions, every stakeholder is acutely aware that **speed can mean survival** – or obsolescence.
Differentiated Views on Time to Market
Let’s unpack how these different groups perceive Time to Market and why it causes tension.
The Founder’s Pressure Cooker: Founders feel time slipping away more than anyone. In a world rich with ideas and democratized innovation, execution is key. With limited white space, the window for dominance closes quickly. The mantra becomes “faster is better” — delays feel existential, risking lost market share or customer interest. This urgency drives rapid decisions and progress over perfection. While realistic, this pressure can lead to burnout, rushed products, and unsustainable choices.
The CEO’s and ELT’s Balancing Act: For the CEO and ELT, the focus is balancing PMF, GTM strategy, and TTM. The belief: “Time to Market trumps all.” First movers who execute well are rewarded. However, speed must be balanced with quality and strategy—rushing to market with a flawed product or unclear positioning can lead to failure.
Engineering’s Quality Mandate: TTM is a double-edged sword for engineers. Speed matters, but rushing risks bugs, technical debt, and post-launch failures. While executives push for rapid delivery, engineers advocate: “Get it right the first time or pay later.” Balancing speed and quality is an ongoing challenge, sparking debates and iterations.
The VC Perspective: Time as Leverage: TTM is both risk and opportunity for VCs. Faster market capture strengthens the case for funding to accelerate growth and gain an edge. Speed signals strength; delays can signal weakness, prompting hesitation or reduced investment.
The Customer’s Paradox: Customers want products fast and flawless. They demand quick delivery, reliability, support, and ease of use. Launch too soon with issues, and frustration ensues; launch too late, and interest fades. Balancing this requires transparency, communication, and strategic rollouts.
Navigating the Friction
Different views on Time to Market often cause friction: founders push for speed, CEOs and leaders manage strategic goals, engineers focus on functionality and quality, VCs seek market dominance, and customers want inexpensive perfection — fast. Startups can bridge these gaps with alignment and clear communication. Prioritize essential features for launch instead of rushing everything. Embrace rapid iteration while balancing speed with quality. Engage customers early to validate and refine the product. By adopting Product-Led Growth (PLG), startups can deliver value, iterate quickly, and let the product drive growth.
Conclusion: The Clock Never Stops
Time to Market is ultimately a shared challenge, not a zero-sum game. Success comes when everyone recognizes the value of each perspective and works towards a common goal. The clock is always ticking – but how you manage the time and tension separates the winners from the rest.
… Tick-tock …
Have a Happy Holiday Season.