- Many Startups optimize for appearances at the cost of Quality Revenue. They chase:
- fast growth charts,
- press,
- quick revenue spikes
- The Qualtrics Example:
- For years, Qualtrics ignored hype and concentrated on a very specific market: universities.
- They believed that if enough universities deeply adopted the product, they’d have a durable business foundation.
- During those early years, they had little press or attention.
- Instead of optimizing for visibility, they optimized for product adoption and customer integration.
- The Contrast: BYJU’S
- BYJU’S became synonymous with rapid growth—aggressive marketing, celebrity endorsements, acquisitions, and soaring valuations. Yet beneath the appearances, concerns around governance, cash flows, profitability, and sustainable growth gradually surfaced. Growth outpaced the strengthening of fundamentals.
- Visibility is not durability.
Insight
Sustainable businesses are built on product quality, customer trust, sound economics, and disciplined execution—not merely on appearing successful.
“Trust your gut, learn to be scrappy, tune out the noise, and play the long game.”
— Ryan Smith, Co-founder, Qualtrics