"From the start, Nicholas and his team focused on solving real problems rather than chasing hype or inflated valuations. He is a firm believer that conviction should come from customers, not VCs, and that once Forethought delivered tangible value to real users, the hype and valuations naturally followed. His "7-Failure Rule" urges founders to embrace iteration over perfection and to expect a few misses before finding what truly clicks."
"The Forethought team stayed lean, obsessed over its ideal customer profile, and focused relentlessly on real pain points instead of shiny features. Nicholas notes that early users aren't always direct about what isn't working, so founders have to learn to look between the lines. That mindset powered Forethought's breakout moment at TechCrunch Disrupt 2018, where the company went on to win Startup Battlefield."
Deon Nicholas co-founded Forethought AI with a focus on solving real customer problems instead of chasing hype or inflated valuations. Conviction came from customers after Forethought delivered tangible value, which then attracted hype and investor interest. Nicholas advocates a "7-Failure Rule" to embrace iteration over perfection and expect misses before finding product-market fit. The team stayed lean, defined an ideal customer profile, and prioritized real pain points over flashy features. Early users often hide issues, so founders must read between the lines. A focused sprint to win paying customers led to a breakout at TechCrunch Disrupt and investor momentum.
Read at TechCrunch
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]