Lessons learned from Intuit, Evernote, and one of the first cloud/Saas companies ever created... Anachron.com. A series of insights any company founder should know to ensure there is clarity of who to build for, how to concept test, and when to pivot or scale. This was part of a talk by Norman Happ at #Saastock18 in Dublin.

1. The Critical Art of
a Customer-Back
Product
Dublin, Ireland
October 16, 2018
SaaStock 2018

2. 2
SVP of Sales, Partnerships, and
Customer Success
Norman Happ
@nhapp
My Journey
● 8 years leading Sales/Marketing for
Intuit’s Small Business Division
● Founder of two technology startups
● Based in Silicon Valley, California

3. 3
Anachron.com
A Journey Full of Lessons
● Brilliant idea but…
“Supply” didn’t exist (ahead of it’s time)
Needed to “follow the money”
● Listened to visionary’s & idealist’s
● Industry” experts” didn’t feel the idea was
plausible
● Luckily… we pivoted before it was too late!
Be patient… Anachron just turned 19
Round 1 funding complete
Feb 17, 2000
3

4. 4
Today’s Plan
1
2
3
Introduction
Background
Key Lessons
1. Product Genius Fallacy
2. Customer/Market Need
3. Validation Methods
4. When do you Pivot/Scale
Summary4

5. 5
Key Lessons:
What Is A ”Customer-Back” Product
Google Glass 2013 ($1,500)
Building something that:
● People really want
● Solves a real problem
● Can become economically
viable (someone will pay for it)

6. 6
Key Lessons:
Product Genius Fallacy
Companies begin to build with limited
understanding:
● What problem they are solving
● Who are they solving for

7. 7
Who is the team who can
realize the vision?
Key Lessons:
Product Genius Fallacy
7

8. 8
Customer/Market Need
How do you know a customer wants something?
Identify WHO
is your target
customer
1
Observe the
customer
(“follow-me
home”)
2
Understand
how they solve
the problem
today
3
Determine if it’s
painful enough
to switch
methods
4
8

9. 9
Validation Methods
How will you know you have fit?
● Product or experience mockup
● Deeply understand true customer interaction
and behavior
Jeff Hawkins
1995 Palm Pilot Prototype
Surveys do NOT measure customer behavior

10. 10
When to Pivot or Scale?
● Accelerating trend of “traction metrics”, for example:
User downloads
New user signups
●Showing period-over-period consistent progression
Week-over-week, month-over-month, etc.
Scale!

11. 11
When to Pivot or Scale?
● Accelerating trend of “traction metrics”, for example:
User downloads
New user signups
●Showing period-over-period consistent progression
Week-over-week, month-over-month, etc. Not Ready To
Scale

12. 12
Redefine
The "Who"
Observe
Directly
Deeply
Understand
Current
Method
Determine
Switching
Pain
The Pivot
1
2
3
4
When to Pivot or Scale?
12

13. 13
Key Takeaways
1
2
3 Validate fit through customer behavior, not intent
Pivot is part of the process
Scale only when your “traction metrics” give the indications
Solve a real problem for real customers
Build a great team (your not a Product Genius)
4

14. 14
Cheers Dublin
SVP of Sales, Partnerships,
and Customer Success
Norman Happ
nhapp@evernote.com
@nhapp