(This is the article to share when someone makes this ^^^ claim)
It’s been 13 years since the passing of Steve Jobs, we continue to follow the ups & downs of Apple and channel the words that this amazing entrepreneur left behind. One of the most frequent Jobs lessons I hear in both startup spaces and corporate halls is: “Jobs didn’t believe in market research.” This broad claim distorts the reality of Apple’s success and weakens innovators’ chances. The purpose of this post is to bring some clarity to Jobs’ words and show how market research should and shouldn’t be used.
I was first compelled to write this post after seeing a stream of comments erupt at a LinkedIn group on New Product Development. A post titled “Three Reasons Why Steve Jobs Didn’t Need Market Research” solicited passionate responses from this group of innovators who come from both the startup and corporate worlds. Clearly those of us who work to launch new products and assist others in the process are struggling with “that Steve Jobs market research quote.”
Every few weeks I come across an objection to market research when I speak with fellow startup founders. Some first-time founders feel that research flies in the face of what they hear from startup luminaries. Market research is sometimes derided in Silicon Valley circles as a sign of weakness.
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Bob Gilbreath is a 2x-exit entrepreneur and co-founder of Hearty, a curated matchmaking service that combines top software developers with early-stage, venture-backed startups.
