Instead of setting early revenue targets, new products should focus on a more telling metric: getting a small cohort of sophisticated users to become obsessed. This deep engagement is a leading indicator of product-market fit and provides the necessary insights to scale to the next 50 users.

The popular pursuit of massive user scale is often a trap. For bootstrapped SaaS, a sustainable, multi-million dollar business can be built on a few hundred happy, high-paying customers. This focus reduces support load, churn, and stress, creating a more resilient company.

'Customer obsession' is a one-way street; you can be obsessed with customers who are indifferent to you. Factory reframes this principle to 'create obsessed customers,' forcing the company to focus on the output: building a product and experience so compelling that customers become its advocates.

Don't just collect feedback from all users equally. Identify and listen closely to the few "visionary users" who intuitively grasp what's next. Their detailed feedback can serve as a powerful validation and even a blueprint for your long-term product strategy.

True differentiation comes from "deep delight," where emotional needs are addressed within the core functional solution. This is distinct from "surface delight" like animations or confetti, which are nice but fail to build the strong emotional connections that drive loyalty.

The old product leadership model was a "rat race" of adding features and specs. The new model prioritizes deep user understanding and data to solve the core problem, even if it results in fewer features on the box.

With the cost of software development decreasing, simple viability (MVP) is no longer sufficient. The new bar is the "Minimum Lovable Product" (MLP), which prioritizes brand, delight, and a human feel from the outset. Creating an experience that users love is now table stakes for generating word-of-mouth in a crowded market.

Many companies claim customer-centricity, but few are willing to provide value to a degree that seems unbalanced. This relentless focus on the end-user, whether in product, service, or content, is a rare and powerful competitive advantage that builds a sustainable brand.

Don't build a perfect, feature-complete product for the mass market from day one. It's too expensive and risky. Instead, deliver a beta to innovator customers who are willing to go on the journey with you. Their feedback provides crucial signals for a more strategic, measured rollout.