🚀 The Big Shift
For years, founders believed “build a great product and users will come.”
That advice is outdated.
Today:
Markets are crowded
Features are easy to copy
Attention is scarce
Distribution has become the real advantage.
If you don’t own a way to reach users, you don’t own a business.
You’re just hoping the algorithm likes you.
🧠 What This Actually Means
Most people misunderstand distribution.
What they think:
“We’ll do marketing after launch”
“Ads will solve it”
“If it’s good, people will share”
What actually works:
Audience before product
Consistency before virality
Channels you control before platforms you rent
Distribution isn’t promotion.
It’s a system for getting attention repeatedly.
“A great product without distribution isn’t underrated.
It’s invisible.“
Real Examples (Short & Clear)
Notion
Built a loyal user base through templates, communities, and creators.
The product spread before heavy ads.
MrBeast (yes, really)
His distribution (YouTube mastery) is stronger than any single idea.
That’s why he can launch anything and win.
Figma
Designers shared files → teams adopted → companies paid.
Distribution was baked into the product.
Lesson: Products win when sharing is natural, not forced.Archive Alley Opens “Tape-to-Stream” Lab for Creators
🧩 The AktBook Framework
Build Distribution Early (BDE Model)
1️⃣ Pick One Channel
Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, email—just one.
Depth beats everywhere.
2️⃣ Teach in Public
Share learnings, mistakes, progress.
People follow journeys, not perfection.
3️⃣ Create Weekly Assets
One core idea → multiple posts.
Consistency compounds 📈
4️⃣ Build a Direct Line
Email list, WhatsApp group, Discord.
Own the audience. Don’t rent it.
5️⃣ Then Ship the Product
Launch to people who already trust you.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Building in silence for 12 months
Chasing virality instead of consistency
Relying only on ads
Ignoring personal branding as a founder
Switching platforms every 2 weeks
Treating distribution as “marketing’s job”
Harsh truth: No distribution = no leverage.
🧠 The AktBook Take
In 2025, distribution is the product before the product.
Founders who win don’t just build better—they show up earlier and louder.
Attention compounds faster than code.
📣 Call to Action
Forward this to a builder who’s “still perfecting the product.”
Hit reply and tell us which platform you’re building on.
Subscribe to AktBook for weekly founder playbooks.
Next week: Why Personal Brands Are Beating Company Brands (and How to Start Yours).