Essays by Ry Walker

Why rigid metrics can slow decisions when data is noisy, and how intuition plus small experiments can guide better calls.

A step-by-step framework for testing startup ideas: talk to users, fake the demo, iterate until you know what to build. Don't write code yet.

Open source your core, build a SaaS around it ASAP, and keep both flywheels spinning. How to balance community and commercial traction.

Should early-stage SaaS companies do professional services? Advice from Brad Feld, Hiten Shah, and other investors on the product vs. services dilemma.

Most startup advice focuses on product and marketing. Retention gets far less airtime—and that's a shame, because it's where most products die.

Build something astonishing for your early adopters. Measure their amazement across education, setup, and ongoing value—then track your improvement.