Why Features Are Not the Solution—And What That Means for Your Product Strategy

The Mindset Shift That Could Change Your Startup’s Trajectory

In an ideal world where everyone deeply understands what they’re doing when building a product or a brand, one thing is certain: the aim is to solve problems, not just own one of the biggest cool tech solutions in the market.

When this is truly understood, features should be seen as drivers of solutions, layered on the back of technology, rather than the solution itself.

This shift in thinking could be the game-changer your startup needs to hit its next ARR targets or achieve that milestone that currently feels impossible. Why? Because it forces you to uncover hidden insights—insights capable of directing your strategy, resources, and inputs in the right direction.

The Feature-Fallacy Trap: Where Startups Go Wrong

Here’s a common scenario:

A startup struggling with churn decides to build more features in hopes of increasing user engagement. The thinking goes: "If we add more functionality, users will stick around."

But after months of development, churn remains high. Why? Because the real problem wasn’t the lack of features—it was probably poor onboarding, unclear value propositions, or an unaddressed customer need.

This happens because many product teams treat features as the product rather than understanding that they are only tools to enable a solution.

What History Teaches Us

Consider Basecamp, the project management tool. When competitors were adding complex automation, Basecamp deliberately kept its feature set simple. Instead of building what others were doing, they focused on solving the real problem: helping teams communicate better.

The result? A loyal user base that valued clarity over complexity.

Or take Superhuman, the premium email service. Instead of packing in every possible feature, they obsessed over speed—because their core belief was that productivity isn’t about more tools, but about faster, frictionless workflows.

These examples show that success comes from solving problems effectively, not from building a crowded feature set.

Framework for Problem-First Thinking

To ensure your product avoids the feature trap, apply this simple framework:

1. Start with the Job to Be Done (JTBD):
2. Prioritize Impact, Not Volume:
3. Measure Success by Outcomes, Not Feature Count:
4. Treat Technology as a Lever, Not the Core Product:

Question: Are You Building the Right Thing?

If you’ve been treating features as the core of your product, it might be time for a rethink. Ask yourself:

• What problem are we really solving?
• Are our features actually addressing that problem, or just adding complexity?

This small shift in perspective could be the unlock your product needs to achieve its next big breakthrough.

What’s Your Take?

Are you guilty of the “feature fallacy”? What’s one product decision you’d approach differently after reading this?

?? Reply with your thoughts or share this with a founder or PM who needs this insight.