Don’t Rain on Someone’s Hustle

The impulse to dismiss or deflate other people’s enthusiasm and effort — and the case for not doing it. Kyle arrived at the idea watching a critical thread about Roam Research and the #RoamCult’s response, which got him thinking about how product communities form and what “raining on other people’s hustle” costs. See I Mean No Disrespect, But… (tweet).

Saved from Roam

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  • I don’t know @ikirigin and i mean no disrespect, but this thread and the subsequent response from the #RoamCult has gotten me thinking about building product communities and “raining on other people’s hustle.”
  • A THREAD 1/
  • https://twitter.com/ikirigin/status/1271176605562310656?s=20
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  • 2/ First, in terms of onboarding. I don’t claim to be a phenomenal product person. But I AM the dumbest of users, so I’m a pretty good bar for how someone is reacting to a product.
  • Some of the best onboarding I’ve seen for a dummy like me was the @Webflow university videos
  • https://university.webflow.com/courses/webflow-101-crash-course
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  • 3/ Could there be a designated onboarding process for @RoamResearch? Undoubtedly. But anyone who thinks there aren’t resources from the Roam community has missed a fundamental experience of being a Roaman in the #RoamCult
  • https://twitter.com/Conaw/status/1271182701995757568?s=20
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  • 4/ There is something to be said about a product where the majority of the first 1K paying users sign up for a 5 YEAR JOURNEY. Something special about the experience they’ve had with that product and community.
  • https://twitter.com/kwharrison13/status/1270879502030106624?s=20
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  • 5/ Most of the Roam apostles operate largely independent of guidance from @Conaw
  • https://twitter.com/johnataylor/status/1271206489210961923?s=20
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  • 6/ “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.” Joseph Smith
  • https://twitter.com/Conaw/status/1270804790918836224?s=20
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  • 7/ In regards to the approach. I think @ikirigin means well. Seems like he has a stellar background in building products at great companies.
  • https://twitter.com/ikirigin/status/1271183228842328064?s=20
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  • 8/ But I’m reminded of when I learned the lesson Don’t rain on someone’s hustle
  • [RAIN GIF]
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  • 9/ In 2016 I taught a class on the @leanstartup book and was confronted by someone who thought it was dumb, and even wrote a book about why. You can read my response here.
  • https://medium.com/lean-startup-circle/why-the-lean-startup-is-a-stupid-way-to-start-a-company-125fa7012aeb
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  • 10/ Was I right? I still think so? Did I handle it correctly? I don’t think so.
  • @axpence taught me a lesson: Don’t rain on someone’s hustle
  • Don’t come in saying “this is stupid.” Come in saying “this is how this could be better.”
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  • 11/ It’s already hard enough to be an entrepreneur. Look for investors who are willing to suspend disbelief and help you be the best possible version of what you’re trying to become.
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  • 12/ Final thought. Products should be easy, but movements rarely are. “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.” (Joseph Smith)