Users You Don't Want

Startups often welcome anyone with the problem they aim to solve, but some users repurpose a product for a different need. Seibel says these users can hijack the product, though some unexpected use cases may reveal a promising community.

Seibel describes users who use a product as intended, users who reveal promising possibilities, users whose activity brings short-term gains but little long-term value, and users who actively harm the product. On Justin.tv, video gamers pointed toward Twitch, while copyrighted-content streamers brought ad revenue without creating lasting value.

Seibel says startups often overlook users who damage the product or its network, and recommends removing them when their negative impact outweighs their value. A paying user may still be harmful: his hypothetical Airbnb example involves guests who pay well but trash an apartment and bring police attention.

When asked about users who consume customer-support time, Seibel says to compare the cost with revenue and learning. For a free product, heavy support demands are harder to justify if they are not helping the team improve the product.

Seibel argues that solving one problem well means making a small number of people very happy; following every user's requests can leave many problems only partly solved. Founders can explore unexpected use cases, but should not let harmful users dictate the roadmap.