Essay · 45 min read

Status as a Service (StaaS)

Eugene Wei · eugenewei.com Free Advanced

A deep read on why new consumer products catch on before anyone can explain them, driven by status and attention rather than obvious features. Wei gives you a lens for spotting why a weird small app is pulling obsessed users, which is exactly the pre-mainstream signal founders keep missing. It is long, but it changes how you read early adoption.

  • Early users often chase status, not obvious utility.
  • New networks feel pointless to outsiders and vital to insiders.
  • Read why obsessed users show up before the product makes sense.
Open on eugenewei.com ↗

It answers 2 questions

  1. I keep spotting good trends too late, after they're already crowded. How do I get earlier signal?
  2. I'm still a student. How do I use my age and campus as an advantage for spotting the next trend?

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