Build Things That Don't Suck

When I first started my company, and people asked me what my focus area was, I’d say that many software companies were focused on building poorly thought-out products, slow applications, and poor user experiences. My focus would be to build things that don’t suck.

Having spent several decades in the pursuit of not being terrible, I realize just how difficult it is. To some extent, “sucking” is the only pathway to not sucking. You must first go through the process of being objectively terrible to figure out the things that are needed.

I’d also add that being terrible is somewhat subjective. What may suck for a beginner may be awesome for experts. It’s not enough to not suck; you have to do it for the right audience.

The goal isn’t to be perfect; it’s to realize that being great is all about iteration.