A brief look into the history of Virtuous Giant and IgnitionDeck. Lessons learned building and growing a product company in the WordPress ecosystem.

1. Go Your Own Way
The Path of a Product Company
Nathan Hangen

2. Nathan Hangen
@nhangen
Psyop Sergeant
Runner & Triathlete
Coach
Soccer Addict
Brewmaster
Entrepreneur

13. IgnitionDeck.com | @IgnitionDeck

14. 10
7.5
5
2.5
Launch
2011

15. 140
105
70
35
46x
2011 2012

16. 140
105
70
35
90% Product
2011 2012 2013

17. 400
300
200
100
200%
2011 2012 2013 2014

18. 1200
900
600
300
?
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

19. Generating Ideas

20. “Ideas are a just a multiplier of execution”
– Derek Sivers

21. Characteristics of a Successful Product
• Redefines an Existing Market
• 10x Improvement on Existing Market Leader
• Defines a New Market
• Fills a Gap in the Market

22. “The most successful businesses have an idea for
the future that's very different from the present”
– Peter Theil

23. GYOW: We Build Products That Empower Entrepreneurs

24. Build Baby Build

25. “Move fast and break things. Unless you are
breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough.”
– Mark Zuckerberg

26. GYOW: Build for testing, not for perfection

27. Testing Product Market Fit

28. “No plan survives first
contact with a customer”
– Steve Blank

29. Soft Launch

30. Shelving vs Killing

31. GYOW: Customer feedback is
the only feedback that matters

33. “If you don’t have a competitive
advantage, don’t compete”
– Jack Welch

34. Choosing a Model

35. Pricing

36. GYOW: Choose the Model that allows
you to build a sustainable business

38. “…there’s just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship
in between a great idea and a great product.”
– Steve Jobs

39. GYOW: The future of WordPress
is independent from its history

40. We’re all making it up as we go along

41. “There is a difference between knowing the
path and walking the path”
– Morpheus