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Platforms & Marketplaces
Practical lessons and observations from my work, especially around platforms and marketplaces.
Network Effects for Every Business: How AI Accelerates the Loops
By Alan W Most people think network effects are only for giant platforms like Uber, Airbnb, or LinkedIn. But the truth is: network...
AI Isn’t Just About the Product – It’s About the Business Behind It
By Alan W When founders think about AI, the focus is usually on the product side — recommendation engines, smarter search, dynamic...
AI Helped Me Solve One of the Biggest Platform Headaches.
By Alan W One of the most frustrating challenges in platform/marketplace building? Users who sign up but then go silent. They browse once...
The New Code: Why Every Business Needs a Strategy & Spec — Especially Now
By Alan W At DNA-Business, we work with founders across all kinds of industries — platforms, marketplaces, creatives, service businesses...
Design Your Flywheel, Not Just Your Features.
By Alan W Most founders I work with want traction. But what they really need is momentum. And that’s where the flywheel effect comes in....
Slow Doesn’t Mean Stuck: How to Keep Building When It Feels Quiet
By Alan W June was a quiet month. ClearShift didn’t fall apart — but it didn’t take off either. And to be honest… I didn’t either.I kept...
Your Platform Is a Project
By Alan W Why momentum beats motivation — and what founders get wrong about building platforms. Most platform founders believe they’re...
AI First: The New Way to Build Smarter
By Alan W Ten years ago, Luke Wroblewski said we should design for mobile first. Not because mobile was better. But because it forced us...
5 Questions to Build (or Fix) Your Platform or Marketplace
By Alan W Starting or scaling a platform or marketplace is a unique challenge. You're balancing multiple user groups, ensuring a seamless...
The Network Effect Myth: Why More Users Won’t Save Your Platform
By Alan W Content here..... One of the most persistent myths about platforms is that they win simply by having more users. The belief...
Lessons Learned: Why Choosing People Over Features Was the Key to ClearShift’s Success
By Alan W As a platform advisor, I’ve worked with many startups, but some of the most valuable lessons come from the simplest...
Platforms Are Everywhere - Even in Your Old VHS Collection
By Alan W When we think of platforms today, we tend to picture apps, marketplaces, and software connecting millions of users. But...
The Difference Between a Platform and a Platform Business Model (And Why It Matters)
By Alan W I’ve noticed that when people talk about “platforms,” they often mean very different things. Some are referring to a piece of...
Is Your Business Ready for a Platform or Marketplace?
By Alan W Building a platform or marketplace can be a game-changer, but success doesn’t happen by chance. Before you dive in, it’s...
How to Cold Start Network Effects (and Why It's Tough)
By Alan W If you're building a platform or thinking about it, you've probably heard about the magic of network effects — that moment when...
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