Making something from nothing is hard – 0 to 1 product management is full of really hard choices and ruthless prioritization. You’ll question your definition of “necessary” and find ever smaller slices to carve off on your path to making A New Thing… particularly under the constraint of tight timelines.

Having done it twice, I’m not sure it gets easier but you do get better at it. It’s always asking – does this really really really need to be built before this product can exist? Before it can function? Is there another way to do this? Does this bit really matter? If you don’t build that piece – have you lost the delight and value and differentiation of what you’re attempting to build in the first place? It’s pouring over your choices from all angles of approach and leaning in to the ‘what if’ exercises.

It’s attempting to mitigate risk while embracing the unknown and making the best choices possible in high uncertainty environments.

You’ll never really know for sure until you get that thing out into the world. Hang on for the ride – it’s exhilarating and terrifying and rewarding and risky.