Startup Models: Push or Pull?

Filed in archive Bootstrapper News on August 12, 2009

© toffehoff

Young Entrepreneur examined two contrasting startup models recently. If you have thought much about the difference between a "push" model and a "pull" model for your startup, you should.

The difference between the two models is this:

• In a push model an entrepreneur develops a product or service "whose time has come" (in the entrepreneur's opinion) and when development is finished the entrepreneur goes looking for customers or clients.


• In a pull model an entrepreneur a product that a particular client or customer needs (and maybe has even asked for), either with the anticipation that that one client (or group of clients) will make the product profitable orwith the hope of marketing the product to other clients after the first client tests the product.

In the first case, an entrepreneur is pushing the product onto the market with the hope that consumers will see its value (which seems obvious to the entrepreneur). In the second case, a consumer is pulling the product onto the market.

The article provides some good insights into the advantages and disadvantages of each model.