Insight
The Glass Slipper Is Not for Sale: Rethinking Retention, GTM, and the Myth of Early AI Magic
Inspired by a16z’s 'The Cinderella Glass Slipper Effect,' this essay examines how extraordinary early retention in AI products is often misunderstood. Rather than a story about early WOW moments, it argues that true retention is structurally enforced through workflow lock-in, switching costs, and GTM design. In the AI era, retention is not sold — it is engineered.
Why ‘The Global Market’ Is an Irresponsible Phrase
Phrases like ‘entering the Asian market’ or ‘going global’ often signal that no real decisions have been made. A country is an administrative boundary, not a market. Markets are formed by behavior. This article dismantles the myth of monolithic markets like the Asian or Europe, and explains why real market entry must start from cities, problems, roles, and contexts—not translations. It also outlines how Oswarld Boutique Consulting Firm approaches global expansion in practice.
How ICP and PMF End Up Killing Real Business
ICP and PMF were originally conceived as frameworks to aid strategic thinking. In practice, however, they are increasingly serving as a vocabulary for evading accountability. This article does not aim to define or explain ICP and PMF. Instead, it deconstructs how these concepts have morphed into excuses that undermine business viability, and explores where the work of real business actually begins.
Go To Market: How to Bridge the Gap Between Market and Data
In recent years, 'Go-To-Market (GTM)' has become a buzzword in the startup industry. However, most understand GTM merely as a 'marketing tool'. Real GTM is the work of narrowing the 'gap' between the voice of the market and data. In this article, we examine the essence of GTM and look at concrete examples of how AI, data, and people must harmonize to produce tangible results.
Why So Many Startups Talk About GTM
In the last few years, Go-To-Market has become one of the most frequently used words in startup conversations. Everyone claims to have a GTM strategy.
How SaaS Services Raise Prices
Recently, Vercel, Gamma, Notion, Adobe, and others have raised their prices by 20-30%. While customer churn is inevitable, we summarize why SaaS companies proceed with price hikes and the conditions under which they 'work'. Check out the pros and cons of 6 pricing models including Cost-Plus, Competition-Indexed, Value-Based, Bundling, and Usage-Based, along with a practical checklist and rollout playbook at a glance.
Go To Market 101 in 1 Hour
'Go-To-Market (GTM)' goes beyond a startup buzzword; it is a comprehensive strategy to successfully settle a product in the market. This article defines GTM not as a simple marketing tool but as 'the science of narrowing the gap between market voice and data,' and covers concrete examples where the roles of AI, data, and humans harmonize to create tangible results.
The Era of the PM is Over, The Era of the Producer is Coming
How AI has changed the role of the PM. Are planners really unnecessary? Discussing why the shift from traditional PM to Producer is inevitable and what changes practitioners need to prepare for.
