How to define a “better” product?

Wisdom from China: Focus on what adds the most value to remain competitive.
Source: 优胜劣汰 = “The strong survive, the weak are eliminated”.

Invincible Hardware Minute: we all want better, faster and cheaper hardware, but how?

Faster = When does it ship?
Cheaper = What’s the landed cost?
Better = ?

Here’s the key:

Better = Higher Product Lifetime Profit.

“Better” can mean anything: more robust, eco-friendly, feature-rich, minimalist, higher quality, or just better-looking. But these are all proxy variables. Ultimately, every decision should maximize the lifetime profit of the product (unless your company hates customers, money and growth).

For example, a client once wanted Apple Find My in a product. I thought it was a terrible idea. After weeks of back-and-forth with my engineering hat on, I realized they wanted to charge a subscription for the feature—except Apple doesn’t allow that. With that insight, the idea was dropped instantly.

Lesson learned: follow the money.

Next time you’re debating features or specs, ask:

• Does this increase Product Lifetime Profit?

• Does it improve cash flow or brand image if not profit?

Make it tangible. Even rough calculations can steer you toward better decisions.

Want to chat hardware? Book a call with me here.

Better products = more profit = even better products,
Ryan

PS - You can’t beat this truth—but you can move your benchmark 😉