Time-to-Market: Why Speed Beats Perfection

So, you’ve got a killer startup idea—awesome! But here’s the thing: having an amazing idea is just step one. The real challenge? Getting it out there fast. In the startup world, time-to-market (TTM) is the secret sauce. If you're sitting on your idea, tweaking every pixel and obsessing over the “perfect” version—you’re already behind. Trust me, the market doesn’t wait, and neither should you.

I learned this the hard way with a startup I co-founded with a friend. We were developing a money-matching platform that let people challenge their friends in video games for real money. We changed the UI/UX three times, trying to make it look perfect for the user. We spent so much time on the design that we totally neglected the core business logic, which was the actual backbone of the product. In the end, we had a super clean UI but didn’t develop key features fast enough—and that set us back big time. Other competitors were taking the lead in this field, and we had to pivot.

Contrast that with my second startup experience as a developer, where I worked with a CEO who knew exactly how important it was to focus on getting to the market fast. Although the design wasn't the best, we were already solving an important problem in the retail world, and our fast execution made us a leader in this field. The product is still positioned as one of the leading frontline digital platforms, evolving and making profits to this day.

Why Time-to-Market should be your top priority

The startup game moves fast—like, really fast. You want to get to market quickly for a few reasons:

1. Beat the competition: The quicker you launch, the less likely someone else will swoop in with a similar product.
2. Test your idea in real life: You think you’ve got the next big thing, but you won’t know for sure until actual users get their hands on it. Launching early lets you figure out what works and what doesn’t, then tweak it.
3. Start making money: Pretty straightforward. The sooner your product is live, the sooner you can start generating revenue and funding your growth.
4. Impress investors: Nobody wants to invest in a “perfect” product that never sees the light of day. Investors love startups that execute fast, iterate, and are ready to adapt.

Stop waiting for perfection. Launch now, improve later

The number one trap that kills startups? Trying to launch the “perfect” product. Spoiler alert: perfection doesn’t exist, especially on version 1.0. You don’t need all the bells and whistles from the start. What you need is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)—a simple version that solves the core problem. From there, you can build, iterate, and level up based on real-world usage.

Work with developers who get it

To make this all happen, you need developers who understand that speed and adaptability are everything. That’s where I come in. At OneNine, we know how to take an idea from sketchpad to launch—fast. We don’t just build apps; we help startups hit the market quickly and evolve efficiently.

Here’s how we roll:

• Focus on what matters: We build the essential stuff first so you can launch and start making moves.
• Scalable from the start: We build with the future in mind. You’ll be able to grow and add features without having to rebuild from scratch.

Ready to launch fast? Let’s talk.

If you’ve got a brilliant idea and you’re ready to see it in action, I’m here to help. At OneNine, we get startups from idea to market fast, while making sure your product can keep evolving as you grow. Let’s get your product live, and keep improving along the way.

Hit me up at hello@onenine.ca —let’s make your vision a reality, without wasting time.