Not All Startups Should Work on Super Disruptive Stuff

Congratulations! You’ve joined the elite club of startup founders who dream big, hustle hard, and probably sleep way less than you should. But here’s a little secret: not every startup needs to be the next Tesla, SpaceX, or a company trying to make immortality happen. And that’s not a bad thing. Actually, it’s probably the smart thing.

Let’s talk about why chasing disruption for the sake of it might be a terrible idea—and why building something meaningful, steady, and reliable can be just as sexy (and profitable).

The Cult of “Disruption”

Somewhere along the way, Silicon Valley convinced us that unless your startup is aiming to overturn an industry and get Elon Musk’s attention, it’s not worth doing. But here’s the hard truth: most startups that claim to be “disrupting” industries either fizzle out or become a punchline.

The reality? Disruption is really, really hard. It’s high risk and comes with a truckload of unpredictability. For every Airbnb or Uber, there are hundreds of other startups buried in the graveyard of “Big Ideas” that never materialized. Remember Juicero? Exactly.

Why Disruption Isn’t Always the Holy Grail

1. It’s Expensive
   Disrupting an industry often requires not just innovation but also re-education—teaching people to use your product, adopt new habits, or see the world differently. This costs an obscene amount of time and money. If you’re bootstrapping or have limited funding, good luck convincing customers to jump on your bandwagon.

2. The Risk Is Sky-High
   If your entire business model is based on overturning a well-oiled machine (e.g., the automotive or healthcare industries), you’re up against entrenched players with deep pockets. They won’t just roll over and let you steal market share. Disruptive companies often find themselves in years-long battles just to gain an inch.

3. Timing Is Everything
   The tech landscape is littered with startups that were ahead of their time. Think of Webvan or Friendster. Their ideas were solid, but they launched before the world was ready. Disruption demands perfect timing, and getting it wrong can tank your business. Trends, consumer behavior, and technology alignment all have to converge for disruptive ideas to thrive.

Why “Boring” Can Be Beautiful

Here’s a radical thought: instead of aiming for “earth-shattering,” aim for “useful.”

Some of the most successful startups didn’t reinvent the wheel; they just made it spin better. Take Basecamp, for example. They built project management software for small teams. Simple, boring even—but ridiculously effective. Or Shopify, which didn’t “disrupt” e-commerce but made it easier for people to set up online stores.

When you focus on being useful rather than disruptive, you’re less likely to fall into the trap of over-promising and under-delivering. Founders often forget that consistent, steady growth is far more valuable than a big splash followed by a rapid fadeout.

The Sweet Spot: Incremental Innovation

You don’t need to launch the next quantum computing platform. Instead, ask yourself: “How can I solve a real problem that people face every day?” Incremental innovation—making existing things better—can be just as impactful as disruption, if not more so.

Here are some examples:

• Notion: Combined docs, wikis, and project management into one clean interface. Not disruptive, just smart.
• Slack: It’s basically glorified IRC for businesses, but it’s packaged beautifully.
• Calendly: Made scheduling meetings a little less painful.

These companies didn’t turn the world upside down. They simply created tools that people genuinely needed. And in doing so, they made daily life easier—which is what most customers actually care about.

The “Build a Better Mousetrap” Mindset

Instead of focusing on breaking industries, focus on building a better mousetrap. This approach works especially well for early-stage founders who don’t have unlimited resources or connections. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Solve a Specific Problem

Niche down and figure out a problem that’s annoying but solvable. For instance, Floumy (a tool I built) helps solopreneurs bring order to startup chaos. It’s not revolutionary—but it’s useful.

Specificity is a game-changer. Trying to solve a broad or vague problem is a recipe for confusion, feature creep, and wasted resources. Instead, laser-focus on something tangible. For example, if you’re targeting the fitness market, don’t just say, “I want to make fitness easier.” Solve a niche issue, like helping people find personalized meal plans based on their allergies.

2. Listen to Your Customers

Don’t assume you know what people want. Talk to your users. Their pain points can lead you to your next big feature (or even a pivot). Customer feedback is the lifeblood of iteration and growth.

Companies like Dropbox succeeded because they listened. Their early adopters wanted cloud storage to “just work,” so they prioritized simplicity over a flood of features. Listen first, then build.

3. Prioritize Usability Over Complexity

Many founders think their product needs to be loaded with features to stand out. Wrong. What people really want is simplicity. Think of Apple’s iPhone or the clean interface of Zoom. Easy wins.

Simplicity often leads to better adoption rates, happier customers, and fewer support tickets. If your product’s UI feels like it needs a manual, you’ve already lost half your users.

What You Gain by NOT Being “Disruptive”

1. Sustainable Growth

When you’re not chasing disruption, you can focus on building a steady, profitable business. Consistent revenue might not make headlines, but it sure as hell makes your life easier. Plus, a solid base of loyal customers often leads to organic growth.

2. Lower Burn Rate

Disruptive ideas usually require heavy upfront investment. If you’re working on a simpler, more focused product, you can keep your costs down and your runway long. Founders often underestimate how much easier life becomes when they’re not constantly chasing funding rounds.

3. A Stronger Foundation

Building something steady gives you the chance to learn, iterate, and improve. That foundation can set you up for bigger opportunities down the line. Think of it as running a marathon instead of a sprint; it’s less glamorous but far more enduring.

Are You Solving a Problem or Just Building for Ego?

Here’s the gut-check moment: is your startup idea solving a real, tangible problem? Or are you chasing disruption because it sounds cooler on LinkedIn?

Ask yourself:

• Are people actively looking for solutions in your space?
• Can you validate your idea quickly and cheaply?
• Is your product something you’d genuinely use yourself?

If the answer to any of these is “no,” it’s time to rethink your approach. Ego-driven businesses often end up with fancy pitch decks but no actual customers. Avoid that trap.

Final Thoughts: Forget the Hype, Focus on Value

The startup world doesn’t need more buzzwords. It needs more solutions. It needs founders who care about solving real problems instead of just chasing the next round of funding or getting featured on TechCrunch.

So, what are you building today? Is it something useful? Something sustainable? Or is it just another moonshot that’s more smoke than fire?

Take a step back. Refocus. Build something valuable—even if it’s not disruptive. Because at the end of the day, impact beats hype every single time.