Because the core job got harder to do.
Here is how to grow power while keeping the first reason people came.
The Core Rule: Freeze The Job to be Done
Every product has one main job.
Teachers in a feedback app want to create and send feedback fast. That is the job.
Protect that flow. Do not move buttons in that path. Do not add new steps in that path.
Make all new work fit around it, not through it.
Use this check before you ship anything:
Does this change slow the first win for a new user
Does this change move a key button in the core path
Does this change add choices that are not needed to finish the core task
If any answer is yes, stop and rethink.
Add Power with Progressive Disclosure
Progressive disclosure means you hide advanced options until the user asks for them.
Put extra settings behind a clear More options control.
Show deeper tools only after a clear signal of intent, like clicking Edit details or completing a basic action.
This keeps the first use simple. It gives experts the power they want without putting weight on new users.
Keep First Use Fast
The first session should feel obvious.
The screen should guide the eye to one clear action.
Labels should read like everyday words.
Here are some tips you can apply today:
Make the primary button the only bright element on the screen
Use helper text at the moment of need, not a wall of text at the start
Delay account setup steps that do not block value
Replace jargon with plain words, and define any needed term in brackets
When first use is fast, people return. When it drags, they churn.
Ship Quietly, Learn Loudly
Before you tell the world, test with a small group.
Use a feature flag so only a few users see the change. Watch how they move. Listen to what they say.
If they still finish the core job with ease, you can open it wider.
If they struggle, you can fix it fast without risking your base.
Measure What Matters
Two numbers tell the truth when you scale features.
Retention and time to value.
Retention is how many people come back after they first try your product. Time to value is how long it takes a new user to reach the first real win.
Look at both before you ship and after you ship. If retention holds or rises and time to value is steady or faster, you added power without harm. If either gets worse, you likely added friction.
Simple ways to check:
Compare a group that saw the feature with a group that did not
Chart the time from signup to first key action
Track the first three sessions for drop off points
Listen, Then Tune
Talk to people who used the new feature.
Ask them three questions.
What value did you get
What confused you
What would you change next
Back this up with product data and support tickets.
If people are lost, change the copy or move the control. If they cannot find the feature, adjust the trigger or the entry point.
If the feature adds no clear value, be brave and remove it.
Decide with The Job to be Done
A good idea still has to serve the main job. If a feature does not make the core job faster, easier, or more reliable, park it. Focus on features that remove a hard step in the job or raise the quality of the result.
This focus keeps your promise clear. It also sends a signal to customers that you respect their time.
Monetize without Harm
Some features are for a small segment of expert users.
Those can be part of a paid tier or an add on.
Be careful with what you put behind a paywall. Do not charge for anything people see as part of the basic promise.
Start small.
Offer the advanced feature to a small group of likely power users. Learn what they value.
If they see clear value, packaging becomes easy.
If they do not, you saved your core from extra weight.
For example, think about a design app.
Most people want to crop or export. Keep those front and center. An expert might need a complex export format. Hide that behind More options or in an expert panel.
New users finish a basic task fast.
Expert users find the deep tool when they need it. No one feels lost. Everyone gets value.
Lastly, Put This into Play This Week
Write and share your one line core job with the team
Protect the core path in your next sprint planning
Choose one advanced feature to ship behind a clear entry point
Test with a small group using a feature flag
Compare retention and time to value before and after
Talk to five users and tune based on what you learn
These steps let you grow without losing trust.
You will add power where it helps and keep the start simple.
This is Important!
The H-1B Update
Proposed rule: $100,000 surcharge on new H-1B petitions starting Sept 21, 2025.
Key facts:
Applies to new H-1B filings after 9/21 (including FY2026 lottery).
Current H-1Bs, renewals, and extensions are not affected.
Travel rules for existing H-1Bs unchanged.
Gray zones: transfers, amendments, recapture, and consular stamping — still unclear.
Impact if this holds:
Startups get priced out, big tech pays.
International student pipeline weakens.
Innovation shifts abroad to Toronto, London, Bengaluru.
We covered all of this and more with Fakhoury Global Immigration in our event last Wednesday.
If you missed it, here’s the link: YouTube
A Focus on Community
RECENT EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Here are a few events I’ll be attending this week and some you should look out for:
Name of the Event | Date and Time | Location |
September 26, 3:30 PM | Fabrik NYC | |
September 26, 5:30 PM | Industry City | |
September 27, 3:00 PM | NYC | |
September 29, 5:00 PM | NYC | |
September 30, 5:30 PM | 170 Eldridge St | |
September 30, 6:00 PM | Perkins Cole LLP | |
September 30, 6:30 PM | Hotel Alameda | |
September 30, 7:00 PM | Recess Grove |
What’s Up with Startups This Week?
Emergent raises $30 million in Series A
The startup Emergent secured $30 M in a Series A round led by Lightspeed. It claims to have reached $15 M in annual recurring revenue just 90 days after launch.Fermi eyes $550 M IPO at $13 B valuation
Fermi, backed by ex-U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, is planning an IPO of $550 million. The target valuation is $13 billion, riding the AI data center boom.Norway’s 1X raising $1B for humanoid robot NEO
The robotics startup 1X from Norway is aiming to raise $1 billion to bring its humanoid robot “NEO” to consumer homes.Top weekly funding trends: robotics, chips, healthtech
In the week ending September 19, capital flowed strongly into robotics, semiconductor startups, healthtech, fintech, and Web3.
What’s Up with Immigration This Week?
$100,000 fee introduced for new H-1B visa applications
On September 19, President Trump signed a proclamation imposing a one-time $100,000 fee on initial H-1B visa petitions filed between September 21, 2025 and September 21, 2026. Existing H-1B holders are not subject to this fee.ICE facility in Dallas targeted in fatal shooting
On September 24, a gunman opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas, killing at least one detainee and injuring others before dying by suicide. The shooting drew national attention to security and safety at detention centers.Arrest of Haitian businessman tied to gang support
U.S. immigration authorities detained Haitian businessman Dimitri Vorbe, alleging that he supported armed gangs in Haiti. The State Department labeled his presence a foreign policy risk, laying groundwork for his removal proceedings.Lawsuit accuses ICE of illegal Latino arrests in D.C.
Four D.C. residents and CASA filed a class action alleging ICE has been unlawfully arresting Latino immigrants in Washington, D.C., often without warrants or following proper procedure.Concerns over deaths in ICE custody and detention conditions
Since January 2025, at least 16 people have died while in ICE custody. Advocates highlight deteriorating conditions, insufficient medical care, and overcrowding in detention facilities.
A Final Note
Time is the your scarcest resource. Guard it like cash. Say no often.As a founder, your calendar shows your priorities. If it fills with random calls, status updates, or “just 15 minutes,” you end up working in the business, not on it.
Time is the only resource you cannot raise or borrow. Investors can give you capital, mentors can give you advice, but no one can add hours to your day. That is why you must guard your calendar like it is cash.
What this means in practice:
Say no often. Declining meetings, events, or requests is not rude. It is how you keep focus. Every yes steals time from your company’s core needs.
Batch your time. Block mornings for deep work. Push all calls to afternoons. This reduces context switching and makes you sharper.
Audit weekly. At the end of the week, look at your calendar. Which meetings moved the business forward? Cut the rest.
Default to async. Many updates can happen over email, Slack, or a recorded Loom. Reserve live meetings for decisions or creative work.
Founders who protect their calendars create space for vision, strategy, and the hard thinking only they can do.
Those who do not end up exhausted, reactive, and always busy but rarely moving the company forward.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.