Footholds enable a company tobringaproducttomarket rapidly and inexpensively, so that it can learn from real commercial experience not theories on a whiteboard about what customers want.
Since the speed and efficiency with which a startup with limited cash is able tobringa competitive producttomarket is imperative, having the right people resources is a make-or-break issue.
As we saw with Palm, which had ample cash on hand at the launch of its Palm Pre product, just because you bringa new producttomarket does not mean its going to be adopted.
Intrepid Soutter got an idea: why not lower the bar a bit on the oak barrels and aging time and bringa palatable productto the American market for a dollar or two less?
Reportedly, this North Carolina-based startup plans tobringa "nicotine-delivery product" tomarket which would actually "deliver nicotine to the brain faster and safer than cigarettes, " all while protecting children and nonsmokers from secondhand smoke.
While there is rampant speculation that Apple will not bringa cheap phone tomarket, it does need to address the strategic hole in its product portfolio that can be filled by a value offering.