What can startup founders learn from the success of Liquid Death or OpenAI?

Startup founders, the following is the core recipe for what you can do to ensure a successful route for your startup. But before separating the two journeys of Liquid Death and OpenAI allow me to refresh your memory with an evergreen list about how to build a successful startup.

Building a successful startup involves several key steps founders need to be aware of:

1. Develop a unique and valuable idea or product that addresses a specific need in the market.
2. Conduct thorough market research and validate your idea with potential customers.
3. Assemble a talented and dedicated team to help bring your idea to fruition.
4. Create a solid business plan and secure funding to support your startup’s growth.
5. Continuously iterate and improve your product based on customer feedback.
6. Focus on building a strong brand and establishing a positive reputation in the industry.
7. Develop a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy to acquire and retain customers.
8. Be adaptable, open to change, and ready to pivot if necessary.

Now I might add that No. 8 could also be considered outside of that list, part of the daily mindset except the pivoting.

Remember that starting a successful business is hard work and requires perseverance, so be prepared for challenges and setbacks along the way. It’s part of the deal and successful founders take it like it is.

Now, consider your weakest points from the eight, and see if it’s the right time to address them.

Why Liquid Death and OpenAI?

I chose these two because even though Liquid Death and OpenAI are part of different industries, they had rampant growth in their domain and used some magic dust that always works.

I also want to emphasize that the success recipe of a startup has common elements no matter the industry. Founders can learn a lot and maybe it’s easier to start with the commonalities of the two.

There are a few similarities between Liquid Death and OpenAI:

1. Both companies have a strong focus on branding and marketing: Liquid Death has built a strong brand and marketing strategy around its unique and unconventional approach to selling water, while OpenAI has also built a strong brand and reputation around its commitment to developing safe and beneficial AI.
2. Both companies have a strong focus on innovation and disruption: Liquid Death has disrupted the traditional water industry by introducing a new and unconventional approach to selling water, while OpenAI has disrupted the field of AI research and development by introducing new and advanced models and technologies.
3. Both companies have a strong focus on sustainability: Liquid Death has a strong focus on sustainability, it’s packaged in 100% recyclable aluminum cans and it aims to reduce the amount of plastic in the environment. OpenAI also has a focus on sustainability, it aims to promote the responsible use of AI and to reduce the risk of unintended consequences associated with AI.
4. Both companies have a strong focus on community: Liquid Death has a strong focus on community and it encourages its customers to take part in their initiatives and to share their content on social media. OpenAI also has a strong focus on community, by encouraging collaboration and partnerships with other organizations and researchers, which can provide access to the company’s expertise, technology, and resources.
5. Both companies have a strong focus on creating a memorable experience for their customers: Liquid Death has a unique and memorable brand personality, which is reflected in its packaging and marketing campaigns. OpenAI also aims to create a memorable experience for its customers, by providing them with advanced and user-friendly models and tools that can help them to achieve their goals and objectives.

The successful recipe of Liquid Death

Just a few years back Liquid Death was a controversial new company that was disregarded by many as too absurd: selling water while promoting messaging like death. It was a bet many lost.

The founder of the company knew what to target and how to build the company in a very clever, marketing-specific way

For those who don’t know, Liquid Death is a brand of canned mountain water that markets itself as an alternative to sugary drinks. Liquid Death, a brand of canned mountain water, has recently been valued at $700 million, making it one of the most successful and innovative startups in the beverage industry.

But what exactly has contributed to its success, and what can other startup founders learn from it?

The company’s success can be attributed to several factors, including its unique branding and packaging, which sets it apart from other water brands and appeals to a younger, socially conscious consumer demographic. Additionally, the company has used social media and digital marketing effectively to build a strong brand and drive sales.

They have also made an impact by using recycled cans and partnering with environmental organizations and campaigns. They also have a direct-to-consumer business model which allows them to cut out intermediaries and sell products at a more affordable price for consumers.

Since the beginning, they tested the market and didn’t do anything without proper validation. For instance, this was their initial video ad where they spent $1K to see if people would be attracted to such a brand. It is worth mentioning that they had no product at the time, only the idea.

The takeaways for founders

1. Unique packaging and design: The company’s use of black cans and bold, eye-catching graphics has helped it stand out on store shelves and appeal to a younger, more visually-minded consumer.
2. Innovative marketing: The company has used a variety of unconventional marketing tactics, such as sponsoring a heavy metal band, to build buzz and attract new customers.
3. Environmental focus: Liquid Death positions itself as an environmentally-friendly option by using recycled cans and partnering with environmental organizations. This has helped it to appeal to socially-conscious consumers and build a strong reputation as a responsible and sustainable brand.
4. Strategic partnerships: The company has formed partnerships with a variety of other businesses and organizations, such as music festivals and environmental groups, which has helped it to expand its reach and build a loyal customer base.
5. Strong online presence: Liquid Death has a strong online presence, with a well-designed website and a large social media following. This has helped the company to connect with customers and build a community around its brand.
6. Product diversification: Liquid Death offers different sizes and flavors of its canned water, which have helped it to appeal to a wider range of consumers, including those looking for a more portable or convenient drinking option.
7. Distribution: The company has built a strong distribution network to reach a large number of customers across the United States and beyond.
8. Affordable pricing: The company has been able to offer its products at an affordable price for consumers by cutting out intermediaries through a direct-to-consumer business model.

Another key aspect of Liquid Death’s success has been its ability to create a sense of community and belonging among its customers, who often refer to themselves as “Death Metal Drinkers.” This has been achieved through the use of a distinct, edgy tone of voice in marketing campaigns, as well as through partnerships with music festivals and other cultural events.

They also managed to charm an entire generation, talking about Gen Zs.

Additionally, the company has been able to successfully appeal to a wide range of consumers by offering different sizes and flavors of its canned water. Finally, the company has also been successful in building its distribution channels, which has allowed it to reach a large number of customers across the United States and beyond.

The successful recipe of OpenAI

Although not a new company it was relatively unknown until recently when everywhere you started noticing the mention of OpenAI related to its chat function and face generator. But there is a backstory and a lot of hard work.

The chat function is a language model, a product of OpenAI’s research and development efforts. Its success is measured by the impressive ability to understand and respond to natural language inputs, and to generate human-like text.

OpenAI’s success is the result of several years of research and development in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

OpenAI’s research has been widely recognized in the field, and the company has established itself as a leader in the development of AI technology. OpenAI’s language models have been used in a variety of applications, such as natural language processing, language translation, and text generation. Additionally, OpenAI has developed and released several tools and frameworks that are widely used by researchers and developers in the field.

The company has also been widely recognized for its contributions to open-source software and for its commitment to responsible AI development. OpenAI has released several of its models, such as GPT-3, under open-source licenses, and has actively engaged with the research community to promote transparency and collaboration. The company has also been committed to developing AI in a safe and responsible way, with a focus on preventing misuse of the technology.

Overall, OpenAI’s success can be attributed to its commitment to cutting-edge research, its emphasis on responsible AI development, and its engagement with the research community and industry partners.

In recent times, OpenAI’s language models have seen a significant boost in success and mass adoption. One of the main reasons for this is the release of GPT-3, which is considered one of the most advanced language models to date. GPT-3 has the ability to understand and respond to natural language inputs in a highly human-like way, and has been used in a variety of applications such as natural language processing, language translation, and text generation.

Another reason for the success boost is the company’s decision to make GPT-3 and other models available through an API, which has made it easier for developers and businesses to integrate the technology into their products and services. Additionally, OpenAI has also made GPT-3 available via a number of third-party platforms, which has further increased its accessibility and adoption.

Moreover, the increasing demand for natural language processing and language understanding capabilities across various industries and domains such as healthcare, customer service, e-commerce, and finance is also a major driver for the mass adoption of OpenAI’s language models.

Finally, OpenAI’s reputation for responsible AI development has also helped to increase trust in the company’s technology and to encourage the responsible use of its models by businesses and organizations.

In summary, the recent success boost and mass adoption of OpenAI’s language models can be attributed to the release of GPT-3, the company’s decision to make the model available via an API, increasing demand for NLP and LU capabilities, and OpenAI’s reputation for responsible AI development.

The takeaways for founders from OpenAI

Other startup founders can learn several key lessons from OpenAI’s success in creating me and other advanced language models:

1. Invest in cutting-edge research: OpenAI’s success is the result of several years of research and development in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Investing in cutting-edge research can help startups to stay ahead of the curve and develop innovative products and services. No founders in tech should underestimate the extra effort that goes into the research aspect.
2. Emphasis on responsible AI development: OpenAI’s commitment to responsible AI development has helped the company to build a positive reputation and increase trust in its technology. This is important for startups to consider as they develop AI-based products and services
3. Engage with the research community and industry partners: OpenAI’s engagement with the research community and industry partners has helped the company to promote transparency and collaboration, which has been beneficial for the development of advanced language models.
4. Consider the use of Open-Source: OpenAI has released several of its models, such as GPT-3, under open-source licenses, which has helped to promote collaboration and innovation in the field of AI.
5. Be aware of the market and its demands: OpenAI’s success can also be attributed to its awareness of the market demands for natural language processing and language understanding capabilities. Startups can learn from this and always be aware of the market demands and trends to develop products that align with them.
6. Be innovative and diversify: OpenAI has continuously innovated and diversified its products and services, this has helped the company to keep up with the trend and not become obsolete.
7. Be accessible and easy to use: OpenAI’s decision to make GPT-3 available via an API and third-party platforms has helped to increase its accessibility and adoption. Startups and their founders should consider the ease of access and use of their products when developing them.
8. Be transparent and responsible: OpenAI’s reputation for responsible AI development has been a key factor in its success. Startups should consider the ethical implications of their products and services, and take steps to ensure that they are used responsibly.
9. Consider the potential impact on existing industries: OpenAI’s language models have the potential to disrupt a variety of industries and businesses, startups should consider the potential impact their products and services may have on existing industries and take steps to mitigate any negative effects.
10. Continuously improve and innovate: OpenAI has continuously improved and innovated its models, startups should follow this example and always be looking for ways to improve their products and services.
11. Have a clear vision and mission: OpenAI’s mission is to ensure that AI is developed in a safe and responsible way, for the benefit of all. Startups and their founders can learn from this and have a clear vision and mission for their company, so they always have a direction to follow.

Now, let’s stay on OpenAI a bit more just because it has the potential to disrupt the internet and so many industries.

How can OpenAI change the internet?

1. Improving online search and information retrieval: OpenAI’s language models, such as GPT-3, have the ability to understand and generate natural language text, which could lead to the development of more advanced and accurate search engines and information retrieval systems. These systems would be able to better understand the intent and context of a user’s query and provide more relevant and accurate results.
2. Enhancing online communication: OpenAI’s language models could be used to develop advanced natural language processing and machine learning-based systems that can understand and generate text in multiple languages. This would enable more accurate machine translation and make it easier for people to communicate across different languages.
3. Automating content creation: OpenAI’s language models could be used to automate the process of content creation, such as writing articles, composing music, and creating videos, which could make it easier for businesses and organizations to produce high-quality content at scale.
4. Improving cybersecurity: OpenAI’s technology could be used to develop advanced systems that can detect and prevent cyber threats, such as phishing attacks, malware, and social engineering.
5. Supporting research: OpenAI’s models and technology can support researchers in various fields such as natural language processing, computer vision, and reinforcement learning, by providing them with a powerful tool to perform their research and by making the results available to the community.

It’s worth noting that OpenAI’s technology is still in the early stages of development and it’s hard to predict how it will be used and how it will change the internet in the long run, but it has the potential to bring about significant changes and improvements in the way we use and interact with the internet.

Conclusions for startup founders

Both Liquid Death and OpenAI can serve as models for startup founders to become successful in their own ways.

Liquid Death has been successful in creating a unique and memorable brand, which has helped it to stand out in a crowded market. The company has also been successful in disrupting the traditional water industry by introducing a new and unconventional approach to selling water. It also has a strong focus on sustainability and community.

Startup founders looking to enter a crowded market can learn from Liquid Death’s example by finding ways to differentiate their product or service, and by building a strong brand and marketing strategy around it. They can also learn from Liquid Death’s focus on sustainability and community, as this can help to create a positive impact and build a loyal customer base.

On the other hand, OpenAI has been successful in developing advanced models and technologies in the field of artificial intelligence, which has helped it to become a leader in the AI research field. It also has a strong focus on safety, collaboration, and responsible use of AI.

Startup founders looking to enter the technology field can learn from OpenAI’s example by investing in research and development to create advanced and innovative products or services. They can also learn from OpenAI’s focus on safety, collaboration, and responsible use, as this can help to ensure that the technology is used in a safe and beneficial way.

In general, both companies have been successful in identifying a need in their respective markets and developing innovative solutions to meet that need. They have also been successful in building a strong brand and reputation, and by focusing on sustainability, community, and safety. Startup founders can take inspiration from these examples and apply similar strategies to their own businesses to increase their chances of success.

Cristina Imre – The Founder Coach Behind Those Business SuccessessThat Lead Our World Into The Future!