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Traversing the Traction Gap
Vision, groundbreaking ideas, total commitment, and boundless enthusiasm characterize most startups, but they require capital to go from promising product in a potential blockbuster category to scalable business. However scrappy they are, industry statistics show that more than 80 percent of all early-stage startups fail. Most can build a product, but the vast majority stumble when it comes time to take those products to market due to poor or non-existent "market engineering" skills. Traversing the Traction Gap exposes the reasons behind that scary failure rate and provides a prescriptive how-to guide, focused specifically on market engineering techniques, so startups can succeed. Getting over the go-to-market hurdle stymies startups again and again. Just when they need to develop and define a category and create sophisticated positioning, demand-generation and revenue-conversion programs--when they must establish a foothold in the market--they run short on time and money. This is the Traction Gap, that period of time between introducing a new product into the market and being able to scale it during a rapidly closing window of opportunity. Traversing the Traction Gap is a practical guidebook for navigating this fraught period in the tumultuous early life of a startup. Based on real-life examples from the startup world, Cleveland's advice provides a roadmap, signposts, and metrics for succeeding where others have failed.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 21, 2019
119 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Cleveland
1Ìýbook5ÌýfollowersBruce Cleveland, Founding Partner at , focuses on investments in startups developing software solutions that enable digital transformation across business, government, and education markets.
Bruce was the first investor and a board member of Marketo, which held an IPO in 2013 and was acquired by Vista Equity Partners in 2016 for $1.8 billion.
Bruce held senior executive roles in engineering, product management and product marketing at Apple, AT&T, Oracle and Siebel Systems.
Bruce enjoys the challenge of creating new companies and navigating new markets. He is committed to sharing his knowledge and experience through the Traction Gap Framework�, which helps entrepreneurs navigate the critical go-to-market period.
Bruce was the first investor and a board member of Marketo, which held an IPO in 2013 and was acquired by Vista Equity Partners in 2016 for $1.8 billion.
Bruce held senior executive roles in engineering, product management and product marketing at Apple, AT&T, Oracle and Siebel Systems.
Bruce enjoys the challenge of creating new companies and navigating new markets. He is committed to sharing his knowledge and experience through the Traction Gap Framework�, which helps entrepreneurs navigate the critical go-to-market period.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 10, 2020
Traversing the Traction Gap is a business development book, aimed to bridge two gaps. First of all, it provides essential steps and milestones startups can use to navigate their way from launching a product to gaining business traction. On the other hand, it tries to bridge the gap between startup entrepreneurs and venture investors, by shining a light on how profitable B2B (mostly SaaS) companies manage to grow from an idea to scalable businesses.
September 23, 2019
This book has the merit of presenting the first framework to structure work between your Initial Product Release and the moment you can officially declare your startup has Traction.
That being said, the book is yet another example of an idea that could be resumed in a couple of pages artificially filled with a lot of startup theory you've read elsewhere.
The lack of book structure and low novel substance are its greatest sins.
That being said, the book is yet another example of an idea that could be resumed in a couple of pages artificially filled with a lot of startup theory you've read elsewhere.
The lack of book structure and low novel substance are its greatest sins.
December 3, 2020
An excellent business book, blueprint and guide for SAAS startup founders and management teams
This is a phenomenal business book.
It hit home for me particularly because I am now working in an early-stage SAAS startup so I felt every chapter like it was literally about our company.
The book covers the startup journey from product ideation to gaining traction in a clear, almost mathematical way. It marks the relevant milestones and inflection points and covers key strategies, objectives and metrics to carry you from one to the next successfully.
The book never overpromises and keeps a realistic, down-to-earth perspective. It is not bloated in any way with self-congratulatory thought pieces that weigh down so much of the usual business literature. It only offers to-the-point examples of companies going through the phases of growth to achieving traction and struggling along the way.
I fully recommend the book to anyone who is a founder or a part of the management team of an SAAS startup. You will feel heard and guided.
This is a phenomenal business book.
It hit home for me particularly because I am now working in an early-stage SAAS startup so I felt every chapter like it was literally about our company.
The book covers the startup journey from product ideation to gaining traction in a clear, almost mathematical way. It marks the relevant milestones and inflection points and covers key strategies, objectives and metrics to carry you from one to the next successfully.
The book never overpromises and keeps a realistic, down-to-earth perspective. It is not bloated in any way with self-congratulatory thought pieces that weigh down so much of the usual business literature. It only offers to-the-point examples of companies going through the phases of growth to achieving traction and struggling along the way.
I fully recommend the book to anyone who is a founder or a part of the management team of an SAAS startup. You will feel heard and guided.
March 2, 2019
Terrific How-to Manual for entrepreneurs
Bruce and Wildcat have done a fantastic job in pulling together a how-to manual for entrepreneurs. Chock full of useful stats, ideas and examples for every stage of a company's lifecycle. Strongly recommend to everyone interested in starting a business not just venture backed companies.
Bruce and Wildcat have done a fantastic job in pulling together a how-to manual for entrepreneurs. Chock full of useful stats, ideas and examples for every stage of a company's lifecycle. Strongly recommend to everyone interested in starting a business not just venture backed companies.
March 19, 2019
Great insight for startups from the POV of a VC.
Wow what a great read for anyone starting a tech business or thinking about starting one. I read this cover to cover in just a few hours. I got more from those few hours than I did from any entrepreneurial class.
Wow what a great read for anyone starting a tech business or thinking about starting one. I read this cover to cover in just a few hours. I got more from those few hours than I did from any entrepreneurial class.
April 1, 2019
Another must-read for any Product Manager working in software development, regardless of the size of the company.
October 10, 2019
This book is ruthless, i loved it!
August 29, 2020
Especially useful for entrepreneurs and product leaders in thinking about where they are at and where they need to get to in order to raise venture capital.
November 21, 2021
Must read if you want to understand about scaling ip your business
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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