The Only Thing That Matters

Given all this, the conclusion writes itself. The life of any startup can be divided into two parts: before product/market fit and after. When you are BPMF, focus obsessively on getting to product/market fit.

Do whatever is required. Change your people, rewrite the product, move into a different market, tell customers no when you don't want to, tell customers yes when you don't want to, raise the fourth round of dilutive funding. Whatever is required.

Nothing on your roadmap, no partnership, no press hit, no hire matters if it isn't moving you toward PMF. That's the discipline: one goal, everything else negotiable.