The new way to launch: have something worth buying

This is interesting (thanks to Hugh McLeod for the pointer): A new way to launch a company.

Don Dodge gives a lot of good history about what it used to be like (get VC money, hire agencies, all that) and how promotion procedure is comparatively easier today.  And I'll agree right up to this point:  You can't have any of it without a decent company/product.

Don makes that point as well:

"We now live in a meritocracy. Money, VCs, and the press no longer decide what will be successful. Great products/services with intuitive designs that solve a real problem win."

Whoa!!  Did you hear that?  Great products/services with intuitive designs that solve a real problem win.

The best hype flywheel won't overcome that law.  A little more here (build a kick-ass company) here and here.