The PMF Feeling
Everyone talks about product-market fit.
Hard to define. Easy to recognize.
Here's what it actually feels like.
Signs You Have PMF
1. Users Seek You Out
Not cold outreach. Not paid ads.
Users find you. They refer others.
2. Growth Is Organic
Month over month, users grow.
Without expensive marketing.
3. Users Are Upset When You're Down
Your app goes down. Users complain.
They notice. They care.
4. Usage Increases Over Time
Users don't sign up and leave.
They come back. More often. More deeply.
5. Users Give Feedback Unprompted
Not "can you add this?"
But "I told my colleague about you."
Signs You Don't Have PMF
- Growth requires constant spending
- Users don't return after first week
- Support tickets are complaints, not suggestions
- Churn is high
- Users say "it's okay"
How to Find PMF
1. Talk to Users
Not surveys. Conversations.
Understand what they actually need.
2. Iterate Rapidly
Ship. Measure. Learn. Repeat.
Fast iteration finds PMF faster.
3. Narrow Focus
Don't serve everyone.
Find the segment that loves you.
Expand later.
The Honest Truth
PMF isn't a metric. It's a feeling.
When you have it, you'll know.
When you don't, keep iterating.
What to Do When You Have PMF
- Double down
- Raise money
- Grow faster
- Don't change what's working
PMF is rare. Protect it.
