【商業智慧】LinkedIn創辦人Reid Hoffman：如果你不為自己的初版產品感到尷尬，那說明你太遲推出了 Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn: If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, then you’ve launched too late
在商業世界中，我們常被一個理念驅動：「一定要推出近乎完美的產品」。但LinkedIn創辦人Reid Hoffman曾言道：「如果你不為自己的初版產品感到尷尬，那說明你太遲推出了。」
從2003年LinkedIn最基本的功能，包括瀏覽用戶資料、透過電子郵件連結聯繫，到2016年被微軟以260億美元收購，這一路上LinkedIn經歷了翻天覆地的變化。它不僅增加了無數的新功能、改進了用戶體驗，更成為了全球專業人士交流平台的龍頭。即使當初創辦團隊決定忽視「聯絡人搜尋器」漏洞，但後來仍取得成功與系統迭代。即便被收購14年後，當年那個令他們憂心的功能也許仍然不見蹤影，LinkedIn的變化與發展證明了及時推出的重要性。
完美主義對初創公司而言，是一把雙刃劍。首版產品往往充滿假設，而這些假設大多數情況下是不準確的。只有通過早期的失敗和不斷的學習，才能構建出人們真正需要的產品。因此一款外觀不佳、有瑕疵的產品，只要能解決問題，用戶大都會選擇忽視那些問題。
及時推出，積極聆聽用戶反饋，勇於迭代改進是今日創業者必須擁有的經營智慧。創業是一場馬拉松，而非百米衝刺。用戶與市場的回饋是創業者最寶貴的財富，也是持續推進創新的原動力。
In the commercial seas, we are often driven by the idea that “the product we launch must be near perfect”. However, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman once said, “If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, then you’ve launched too late.”
From the most basic functionalities in 2003, which included viewing user profiles and connecting via email, to being acquired by Microsoft in 2016 for $26 billion, LinkedIn underwent revolutionary changes. It not only added countless new features and improved user experience but also became the leading platform for professional networking globally. It was precisely because of the initial boldness to overlook the absence of the ‘Contact Finder’ feature that subsequent success and iterations were possible. Even 14 years after the acquisition, the functionality that once worried the founding team may still be missing, proving the importance of timely launches.
For startups, perfectionism is a double-edged sword. The first version of a product is often full of assumptions, most of which are usually incorrect. Only through early failures and continuous learning can a product that people truly need be built. Therefore, as long as a product can solve a problem, most users will choose to overlook its poor appearance and flaws.
Launching on time, actively listening to user feedback, and having the courage to iterate and improve are the essential business wisdom that today’s entrepreneurs must possess. Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. The feedback from users and the market is the most valuable asset for entrepreneurs, and it is the driving force behind continuous innovation.