Avoid premature optimization

Premature optimization is the root of all evil in startups. It's the act of solving problems that you don't have yet. This is a common trap for entrepreneurs, as it can feel productive to be working on things like building a scalable infrastructure or designing a perfect logo. However, in the early days of a business, these are often a waste of time.

The Dangers of Premature Optimization

• Wasted time and money: When you spend time and money on problems you don't have, you're taking resources away from the things that really matter.
• Increased complexity: Premature optimization can lead to a more complex product and a more complex business, which can make it harder to iterate and to respond to customer feedback.
• Loss of focus: When you're focused on solving future problems, you're not focused on the most important problem right now, which is usually getting more customers.

The "Just in Time" Approach

A better approach is to solve problems as they arise. This is the "just in time" approach to building a business.

Instead of trying to anticipate every possible problem, you should focus on building a minimum viable product and getting it in front of customers as quickly as possible. Once you have customers, you can then start to solve the problems that they are actually experiencing.

For example:

• Don't build a scalable infrastructure until you have enough traffic to warrant it.
• Don't hire a customer support team until you have enough customers to need one.
• Don't spend weeks on a logo when you don't even have a product yet.

By solving problems as they arise, you can save yourself a lot of time and money, and you can stay focused on the most important thing: building a business that your customers love. This is a key principle of The 7 Day Startup.