ABOUT THIS EPISODE
SimpliSafe was built for renters. Renters didn't buy it. Homeowners did. Jason has told that story for years, because it's a perfect lesson in how founders get their customer wrong. But he never asked the obvious follow-up: once you finally find the right customer, then what? Now, 20 years in, SimpliSafe founder Chad Laurans and CEO Hilary Schneider reveal what comes after product-market fit, and why customers asking for "more cameras" didn't actually want more cameras.
This episode of Problem Solvers is presented by AT&T Business. To learn more about how the right connectivity can help support your business as it grows, visit att.com/smallbusiness.
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0:00 The "faster horses" myth
0:29 Welcome to Problem Solvers
0:46 The SimpliSafe origin story: renters vs. homeowners
2:21 What happens after product-market fit?
2:55 Meet the guests
3:47 What product-market fit actually feels like
5:11 Should you build everything customers ask for?
6:11 Why you have to keep asking "why"
7:14 From "more cameras" to crime prevention
8:17 Fact check: Henry Ford never said it
9:22 What customers really want: peace of mind
10:02 Making a costly service profitable with AI
11:44 Launching a product that doesn't scale yet
13:48 Why big companies forget to prototype
16:51 Build things you're willing to throw away
18:26 What's next for SimpliSafe
19:48 The innovator's dilemma of a cheaper product
20:31 Mining customer support calls for insight
21:52 Go back to what made you great
23:22 The mission: every home secure
23:57 Long-term value comes from creating value
26:33 Wrap-up
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