Fellow founders, engineers, and innovators,
Today, I want to share a raw, unvarnished account of a recent stumble at Paiteams Tech Limited. This isn't a polished press release; it's a transparent look at a moment that almost sent us off course, and how a dose of candid feedback brought us back to our strategic foundation.
At Paiteams, our vision is bold: to build an AI Agent Collaborative Workspace. We're not just another chatbot; we believe the future of work lies in seamless human-AI team collaboration. We’ve built an agent hub, enabled multi-agent @ collaboration, and even integrated an AI-aware smart note-taking system, allowing AI teams to understand context and intervene intelligently.
We developed specialized AI teams for key scenarios like "web development" and "Deep research." Product ready, confidence high, we were ready to conquer. We’d tell everyone, "We're an AI collaboration platform that lets you orchestrate AI expert teams like a CEO, tackling complex tasks!" Sounds cool, right? We were certainly captivated by our own narrative.
The Cold Shower: 4 Hours, and My Friend Still Didn't Get It.
Last week, I met with Dai, a veteran in the media industry. I passionately spoke for four hours, from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM, covering everything from our tech architecture to our grand vision.
Then, his words hit me like a bucket of ice water:
"Buddy, you've been talking for hours, and I still don't fully understand what you guys actually do."
He continued, "The product interface you showed me – an input box, a few agents to switch between – isn't that just like Manus or ChatGPT? Why should I use you? Explaining the difference takes too much effort."
I was stunned. Our proud "multi-agent collaboration" was perceived by users, at first glance, as "just another chatbot."
Dai's feedback was surgical:
- Positioning Paradox: If you promote "Deep research," you attract analysts. If you promote "web development," you attract developers. Who are you, really? User perception is fragmented.
- Marketing Dilemma: Are you promoting a specific agent (e.g., web development) or the entire platform? The former feels too narrow, wasting platform capabilities. The latter is too abstract; users don't know how to use it.
- Value Obscured: Our core "collaboration" value isn't evident in a simple chat interface. Users won't naturally call upon multiple agents to collaborate.
He ended with a crucial question: "Do you want to make a small product, selling individual features? Or do you want to clarify your positioning so users understand what this 'workspace' truly is?"
"If you can't explain it clearly, you haven't thought it through clearly." That phrase echoed in my mind.
From Confusion to Clarity: Our Analysis and Breakthrough
This conversation was a blow, but it forced us to pause and confront the fundamental question: How do we bridge our grand vision with the user's very first experience?
Our team huddled, laying out the problem:
The Core Conflict: We want to sell a complete "kitchen setup" (the platform), but users just want a "sharp knife" (a solution to a specific pain point). Pushing the whole kitchen upfront feels expensive, overwhelming, and users don't even know how to start cooking.
What to do?
We looked at the growth paths of almost all great platforms: disguise yourself as a "useful vertical tool" to enter the market.
- Amazon's vision was the "everything store," but it started by just selling "books."
- Notion's vision is an "all-in-one workspace," but it broke through with specific "templates" (reading notes, project management).
- Silicon Valley unicorn Rippling does employee management. Its killer feature isn't superior individual functions, but connecting payroll, IT, and benefits data layers for "one-click onboarding" – a true collaborative value.
The realization hit us. Our strategic error was trying to immediately convey our ultimate form.
The correct path: Use a sharp spear (a vertical use case) to pierce the market, then unfurl a robust net (platform value) to capture users.
Our New Strategy: The "Trojan Horse" Plan
We've developed a "dual-track" communication and product strategy, internally dubbed the "Trojan Horse" plan.
Track One: External (Marketing & Acquisition) – Sell the "Spear," Not the "Net"
- Messaging: We will avoid mentioning "AI collaborative workspace." Our ads, blogs, and SEO will focus on a specific, compelling pain point.
- Example: "Struggling with event promotions? Use Paiteams to generate a high-converting landing page in 10 minutes, complete with copy."
- Example: "Launching into a new market? Use Paiteams to generate a comprehensive industry analysis draft, with text and visuals, in 1 hour."
- Goal: Attract users who need to solve a specific, urgent problem. They don't need to know who we are; they just need to know we can quickly fix their immediate issue.
Track Two: Internal (Product Design & Long-Term Vision) – Build the "Net," Conceal the "Spear"
- Product Onboarding: When a user clicks through an ad for "landing page creation," they should not see a generic chat interface. They should land directly in an immersive environment optimized for "web development." On the left, requirement gathering; on the right, a real-time web preview. Make them feel, "This tool was custom-made for me."
- Creating the "Aha Moment": Once the user completes their first task (e.g., the website is done), we don't just sell the platform. We demonstrate the magic of collaboration.
- The system will "intelligently" prompt: "Website detected as complete. Would you like the 'Legal Agent' to instantly generate a privacy policy and add it to your website footer?"
- When the user clicks "Yes," they witness another AI seamlessly continuing the work of the previous AI. In that moment, they truly grasp the value of "collaboration." This surprise is far more powerful than a thousand empty words about being a "collaborative platform."
- Long-Term Retention: User assets (code, documents, analysis reports, notes) are stored within our "workspace." The more projects they complete, the greater the collaborative value between agents, and the higher their switching costs. The "net" quietly tightens.
Final Thoughts
Founding a startup is like navigating uncharted waters. We once thought a final treasure map would lead us directly to the gold, but the reality is, we first need to find the nearest supply island to survive.
This "can't explain it" crisis helped us find that island – starting by solving a specific pain point.
Our vision hasn't changed, but our path is now much clearer. We'll sell "books" like Amazon, use "templates" like Notion, and build a moat with "collaboration" like Rippling.
For us, #BuildInPublic isn't just about sharing successes; it's about openly acknowledging failures and reflecting on them. This journey is long, and we're still learning. If you have any thoughts on "AI collaborative work," or if you spot any holes in our "Trojan Horse" plan, please reach out.
Because we believe the most valuable insights often come from the next "cold shower" of honest feedback.
Next time, I'll share how we're redesigning that "not-a-chatbot" homepage.
Thanks for reading.
#AIstartup #SaaSFounder #ProductManagement #TeamCollaboration #Innovation #Paiteams #BuildInPublic
