The "we made up our own market" edition

In this episode of the Zero to Traction podcast, JDM and Cameron discuss the importance of understanding the competitive landscape for startups — and the biggest competition mistakes founders make during the pitch.

They address the common pitfalls founders face, such as not identifying competitors, underestimating competition, and entering non-existent markets.

The guys emphasize the need for startups to articulate their differentiators clearly and understand their customers’ pain points.

They also explore how a thorough competitive analysis ties into other business model components, like customer personas, market timing, and go-to-market, TAM, and more.

The episode highlights the interconnectedness of pitching and real business foundations, offering insights on making a startup more investor-ready.

Plus, frivolous thoughts! JDM talks shifting business models in “Only Murders in the Building”, and Cameron wonders what’s going on with The Great British Baking Show this season.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com