Steve Goldberg is a partner at Finistere Ventures, an early-stage venture fund focused on food, agriculture, and sustainably feeding the world. This is our third article from a single half hour interview.
I was once told that when bright people disagree, they often have failed to notice that they have different meanings for the same terms. Eliezer Yudkowsky has a good description of this in the Disputing Definitions chapter of Rationality: From AI to Zombies
I can't live without it
And while we didn't actual disagree, we assuredly have different focuses on the certain key concepts.
When he thinks of the market, he really wants potential customers that say, “I can't live without it.” When I think of the market, I really want to see customers that are already looking for something to solve this problem. I'm preaching the lean startup gospel.
I'm already looking
Steve wants customers' desire for it to be so strong that they will be willing to overcome potential barriers to adoption that might arise.
I want early adopters that we can find easily, quickly and for free.
But now that I understand what he wants, I'll compromise. I'll ask for both. Can your startup promise me either?