Your Roadmap Is Too Pretty to Survive

Most startup roadmaps are fiction. What you need is a plan that survives real user feedback, not one that looks good in an investor deck.

The Problem with Startup Roadmaps

Most startup roadmaps are just hopeful fiction. Founders show me 9-tab documents with 40 features mapped across three quarters. I ask a simple question: “Which of these is validated by real user pain?”

Usually… it’s crickets.

What You Actually Need

You don’t need a roadmap full of projections.
You need a survival plan.

The 4-Phase Roadmap I Use

✅ Phase 1: Fastest path to usable value
✅ Phase 2: Retention mechanisms (stickiness layer)
✅ Phase 3: Growth hooks (referrals, analytics, shareability)
✅ Phase 4: Internal tools + automation

Everything Else Is Noise

Kill 80% of the wishlist before Sprint 1 even begins.
Focus on what’s real, not what looks impressive.

The Takeaway

You don’t need a roadmap that looks good in a deck.
You need one that survives in the wild.

Final Thought

How much of your current roadmap is validated—and how much is wishful thinking?