On the TechTO stage ×1
First seen on the TechTO stage in 2019. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Joe ↗
In their words
In an early-stage startup, the number one company killer is lack of market. Y Combinator states this even more simply in their motto, which is: make something people want.
You have to launch early and often. When you're trying to find product-market fit, you learn by launching and getting feedback from your customers. Don't wait until you have the beautiful solution.
The v1 of the Perpetua mobile app was actually a Keynote file that we built in 24 hours. The next day we tested it out on five real customers.
Quick answers
Who is Joe Rideout?
Co-president of Perpetua, an e-commerce advertising software company. He worked at Google on Google+, then joined Perpetua to open its Canadian R&D office and grew it past 100 people. Perpetua was acquired by Ascential in 2022.
What company did Joe Rideout present at TechTO?
He presented Perpetua on stage in 2019 (the talk is titled with the company's earlier name, Draper AI). It was an AI-powered optimization platform for Amazon ads.
What was Joe Rideout's advice at TechTO?
Look for pain in a large, fast-growing market; launch early and often to find product-market fit; talk to customers constantly; and if the love metrics aren't there, don't ignore reality. He cited Y Combinator's motto: make something people want.