Every struggling project in history has had some executive look at the timeline, panic, and say the same thing: “Let’s throw more people at it.” It’s such a comforting idea. More hands, faster work. More brains, better solutions. It makes intuitive sense, which is exactly why it’s wrong.
Fred Brooks figured this out in 1975 when he wrote The Mythical Man-Month. His observation was brutally simple: adding people to a late software project makes it later. Not a little later. Meaningfully, measurably later. And yet here we are, 50 years on, and companies are still making the same mistake. They see a deadline slipping and reach for the hiring button like it’s a panic switch.
You are a startup. You have twelve users, three of whom are your mum, your co-founder, and your co-founder’s mum. You have six months of runway. You have not found product-market fit. You are still pivoting weekly based on whatever feedback you got from the last person who agreed to a demo.
And you want to build a mobile app.
No. Stop. Put the Xcode down and step away from the keyboard.
As whispers of an impending recession grow louder, it’s natural to feel a sense of trepidation. Economic downturns can be challenging, but they also harbour a less-told narrative of resilience, innovation, and opportunity. History has shown us that some of the most groundbreaking companies were born amidst economic turmoil. These tales of triumph serve as powerful reminders that even in the face of adversity, there lies a golden opportunity to build something extraordinary.
In the past year, a surge of AI tools has hit the market, with many identifying as AI startups. The advent of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, including GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models, has revolutionised how we interact with technology. However, amidst this excitement, a trend needs addressing: the phenomenon of “API wrappers” masquerading as AI startups.
While it’s true that many of these products utilize the power of OpenAI’s GPT APIs, it’s essential to take a step back and consider the implications of relying solely on an external API for your business. Does wrapping GPT APIs and selling a service based on them warrant the label of an AI startup? Let’s take a closer look at the potential downsides of this approach.