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Kevin Systrom's Number One Advice: Do Less. But Do It Perfectly.

By Kevin Systrom · Product & Building · 1 min read

Instagram's founder says most startups fail because they try to do too many things at once.

Key Points

One feature done perfectly beats ten features done adequately
Instagram launched with only photos and filters. Nothing else.
Systrom's rule: if it is not perfect, do not ship it. If you cannot make it perfect, cut it.

Do fewer things. Do them better. That is the entire playbook.

Less Is More

Instagram launched with one feature: take a photo, add a filter, share it.

No messaging. No stories. No reels. No marketplace. Just photos.

Systrom says that constraint was the key to everything.

Do fewer things. Do them perfectly. That was the biggest difference between what worked and what didn't.

Perfect or Cut

If a feature cannot be made perfect in the time available, cut it.

A half-built feature is worse than no feature. It confuses users and wastes engineering.

Cut ruthlessly. Ship what is left. Make it flawless.

Do fewer things. Do them better.

The Discipline

This requires discipline that most founders do not have.

The temptation to add one more thing is overwhelming. Resist it.

Every feature you add divides attention. Every feature you cut focuses it.