Having an unfair advantage can completely change how your startup is supported by customers and investors from day one of your entrepreneurial journey.
Although passion is critical, but having passion without knowing what top or experience entrepreneurs who you may compete for the same customer or problem are building the startup with an unfair advantage at the start, which may be the key to outcompete and take on the market.
There are 5 key elements of unfair advantage all founders need to be aware of, shared by Kevin Hale from Y Combinator (world top accelerator and VC, which invested in companies such as AirBnB / DoorDash / Dropbox / Strip).
擁有絕對競爭優勢可以從您創業旅程的第一天起，完全改變客戶和投資者對您的初創公司的支持方式。
雖然熱情至關重要，但如果沒有了解您可能與之競爭相同客戶或問題的頂尖或經驗豐富的企業家，是如何從一開始就用絕對競爭優勢來建立他們的初創公司，這可能是超越競爭對手並攻佔市場的關鍵。
所有創業者都需要了解的絕對競爭優勢有5個關鍵元素，由來自Y Combinator（世界頂尖的加速器和風投，投資了諸如AirBnB / DoorDash / Dropbox / Strip等公司）的Kevin Hale分享。
The 5 elements of Unfair Advantage by Y Combinator
(video link: https://youtu.be/DOtCl5PU8F0?si=Sse_r7V9N2IdUJ0_&t=767)
You are about to launch your startup or if you are currently struggingling for your next round of funding, it is critical to look at number of these unfair advantages that you may have.
Kevin pointed out Y Combinator startup companies usually have at least one of five elements of unfair advantage, but great ones might have all of them.
如果您即將開創您的新創公司，或者如果您目前正在為下一輪融資而掙扎，檢視您可能擁有的這些絕對競爭優勢的數量是至關重要的。
Kevin指出，Y Combinator的新創公司通常至少擁有一項絕對競爭優勢中的五個要素，但是優秀的公司可能擁有它們全部。
Here is a quick summary from the video of what each of element is:
1. Founder Unfair Advantage / 創辦人絕對優勢:
This is about the unique qualifications, experiences, or insights of the founders that make them exceptionally suited to solve the problem at hand.
Criteria:
Are the founders among the top experts in the world concerning this problem? Do they possess unique insights or experiences that 99% of people do not?
Example:
A founder with a PhD in a specialized field directly relevant to the startup's focus, holding patents or having unique industry insights, provides a significant edge.
這是關於創辦人的獨特資格、經驗或洞察力，使他們特別適合解決手頭的問題。
標準：
創辦人是否屬於世界上針對這個問題的頂尖專家之一？他們是否擁有99%的人沒有的獨特洞察力或經？
範例：
擁有直接與新創公司焦點相關的專業領域博士學位的創辦人，持有專利或擁有獨特的行業洞察力，提供了顯著的優勢。
2. Market Unfair Advantage / 市場絕對優勢:
This advantage is about operating in a rapidly growing market.
Criteria:
Is the market growing at least 20% a year? Being in a fast-growing market can inherently facilitate the startup's growth, even if it's just keeping pace with the market expansion.
Example:
A startup in an emerging technology space or a newly deregulated industry where demand is surging.
這個優勢是關於在一個快速成長的市場中運營。
標準：
市場的年增長率至少為20%嗎？處於一個快速成長的市場可以本質上促進新創公司的成長，即使它只是跟上市場擴張的步伐。
範例：
一個處於新興技術領域或新近解除管制的行業中的新創公司，其中需求正在激增。
3. Product Unfair Advantage / 產品絕對優勢:
A product that is significantly better than existing solutions.
Criteria:
Is the product 10x better than the competition in terms of cost, speed, efficiency, or another key metric? A clear, order-of-magnitude improvement over existing solutions can be a compelling advantage.
Example:
A new app that uses AI to provide services at a fraction of the cost and time of current market offerings.
一個遠遠優於現有解決方案的產品。
標準：
就成本、速度、效率或其他關鍵指標而言，產品是否比競爭對手好上10倍？一個對現有解決方案有明顯的數量級改進，可以是一個引人注目的優勢。
範例：
一個新的應用程式，使用人工智慧提供的服務，其成本和時間僅為當前市場供應的一小部分。
4. Acquisition Unfair Advantage / 客戶取得絕對優勢:
This relates to the startup's ability to acquire customers more effectively and efficiently than competitors.
Criteria:
Does the startup have a unique channel or method for customer acquisition that is low-cost or free? Paid acquisition channels are less valued unless they demonstrate an exceptionally sustainable and scalable model.
Example:
A startup leveraging a viral marketing strategy or a product that inherently encourages user referrals, significantly reducing customer acquisition costs.
這涉及到新創公司比競爭對手更有效、更高效地獲得客戶的能力。
標準：
新創公司是否有一個獨特的、低成本或免費的客戶獲取渠道或方法？除非付費獲客渠道展示出特別可持續和可擴展的模型，否則其價值較低。
範例：
一個利用病毒式行銷策略的新創公司，或一個本質上鼓勵用戶推薦的產品，顯著降低了客戶獲取成本。
5. Monopoly Unfair Advantage / 壟斷絕對優勢:
A business model or product that becomes more dominant as it scales, making it difficult for new entrants to compete.
Criteria:
Does the startup's growth strengthen its market position in a way that barriers to entry for competitors increase? This can be through network effects, proprietary technology, or accumulating data that improves the service over time.
Example:
A platform that becomes more valuable to each user as more users participate, such as a marketplace or a social network.
一種隨著規模擴大而變得更具主導性的商業模式或產品，使新進入者難以競爭。
標準：
新創公司的成長是否以一種方式強化了其市場地位，使得競爭對手的進入障礙增加？這可以通過網絡效應、專有技術或積累隨時間改善服務的數據來實現。
範例：
一個平台，隨著更多用戶的參與而對每個用戶變得更有價值，例如市場或社交網絡。
So what's next? Actionable Advice for Entrepreneurs
Understanding and leveraging your startup's unfair advantages is not just about identifying where you currently stand. It's about actively developing these advantages to outcompete and innovate in your market.
理解並利用您新創公司的絕對競爭優勢，不僅僅是識別您目前的位置。它關於積極發展這些優勢，在您的市場中超越競爭對手並創新。
1. Assess and Align / 評估與調整
Begin by assessing your current strengths and aligning your strategy to bolster your unfair advantages. This might mean pivoting your focus towards areas where you can develop a significant edge or doubling down on the advantages you already possess.
首先評估您目前的優勢，並調整您的策略以增強您的絕對競爭優勢。這可能意味著將您的焦點轉向您可以發展顯著優勢的領域，或加倍發揮您已擁有的優勢。
2. Build Around Your Strengths / 以優勢為核心
Design your product, marketing, and operational strategies around these unfair advantages. If your strength is in the founding team's expertise, leverage that in your storytelling. If it's in the product, focus on innovation and user experience to make it unmistakably superior.
圍繞這些絕對競爭優勢設計您的產品、市場和運營策略。如果您的優勢在於創始團隊的專業知識，那麼在您的故事講述中利用這一點。如果是在產品中，專注於創新和用戶體驗，使其無可挑剔地優越。
3. Innovate in Acquisition / 取得客戶來源的創新
Don't rely solely on traditional acquisition channels. Look for creative, cost-effective ways to reach and engage your target audience. This could involve leveraging new technologies, platforms, or even unconventional partnerships.
不要僅依賴傳統的獲客渠道。尋找創意且成本效益高的方法來接觸和吸引您的目標受眾。這可能涉及利用新技術、平台或甚至非傳統的合作夥伴關係。
4. Cultivate a Monopoly Position / 建構獨佔
Focus on creating a business model that becomes stronger as it grows. Invest in building a loyal community and integrating network effects wherever possible to ensure your startup becomes more entrenched and harder to displace over time.
專注於創建一個隨著成長而變得更加強大的商業模式。投資於建立一個忠誠的社群，並盡可能整合網絡效應，以確保您的新創公司隨著時間變得更加根深蒂固，更難以被取代。
Conclusion: A Mindset Shift for Success / 邁向成功的轉念
The journey to building a successful startup is filled with challenges and competition. Understanding and leveraging your unfair advantages can provide the critical edge needed to thrive. This requires a mindset shift from merely surviving in the market to strategically positioning your startup to leverage its unique strengths from day one.
Embrace these principles, focus on developing your unfair advantages, and remember: the goal is not just to enter the market but to dominate it by playing to your strengths. Let your unfair advantages be the guideposts that lead your entrepreneurial journey to success.
建立一個成功的新創公司的旅程充滿了挑戰和競爭。理解並利用您的絕對競爭優勢可以提供生存和繁榮所需的關鍵優勢。這需要從僅僅在市場中生存的心態轉變為從第一天起就戰略性地定位您的新創公司，以利用其獨特的優勢。
擁抱這些原則，專注於發展您的絕對競爭優勢，記住：目標不僅是進入市場，而是通過發揮您的優勢來主宰市場。讓您的絕對競爭優勢成為引領您的創業旅程走向成功的指南。
Comments