Don’t Boil the Ocean (and what to do instead)

EP 012

Last week’s been a mix of sweat and sweater weather in Bangalore. It started with scorching heat, threw in a day of glorious rain, and settled back into those oddly pleasant mornings and evenings the city loves surprising us with. The rain day was beautiful. I stepped out to find the road carpeted in yellow blossoms - like nature had rolled out a floral runway just for us. The light breeze, the filtered sunlight, the stillness - it all made the chaos of the week feel a little lighter.

It also happened to be one of those weeks when my co-founder, Sumeet, was in town. We do this alternate-month visit thing - he's based in Delhi, I’m here in Bangalore - and when we’re in the same city, our calendars become a battlefield of back-to-back meetings, usually scattered across coffee shops and bars in Bangalore.

Quick background: Sumeet is ex-Bain, ex-Guild, ex-Rocket Internet, and an IIM Cal grad. He leads all things Studio at OutNorm, and he's one of the sharpest consumer brand minds I’ve come across in the Indian ecosystem. He’s the reason OutNorm happened to me in the first place. I learn a lot from him - especially the operator’s lens on scale.

For those who don’t know - OutNorm is our venture studio. We help consumer brands scale. We partner with founders who have exceptional products and plug into their business as co-founders - handling everything from branding and marketing to distribution and channel strategy (had to plug that in somewhere, didn’t I?).

So during one of our commutes - somewhere between Indiranagar and Koramangala - I casually asked Sumeet:

“What’s one thing that really annoys you when you meet first-time founders?”

Or in other words,

“What’s the biggest mistake they’re making, apart from the usual rookie stuff?”

His reply was instant:

“Everyone’s trying to boil the ocean.”

And honestly… I couldn’t agree more.

We see it all the time - founders trying to launch with 5 SKUs, solve 17 use-cases, and pitch to every possible customer cohort under the sun. It’s not ambition - it’s self-sabotage.

There’s actually a term for this in psychology: “The Planning Fallacy” - the tendency to underestimate the time, cost, and complexity of a task. Multiply that by startup energy and sprinkle in a big market size pitch - and you’ve got the perfect ocean-boiling recipe.

So let’s talk about what that really means. Why founders fall into this trap. And more importantly - how to not set yourself on fire trying to boil all of it at once.

What Does “Boiling the Ocean” Even Mean?

It’s one of those phrases that gets thrown around in investor meetings and founder catchups - usually with a raised eyebrow or a polite sigh. But what does it actually mean?

In startup-speak, “boiling the ocean” means trying to do too much, for too many, too soon.

It’s the strategic equivalent of sprinting in five directions at once - and wondering why you’re exhausted and nowhere near the finish line.

In the context of consumer brands, it often shows up like this:

• Launching five product lines on Day 1 because “we don’t want to miss out on any segment”

• Designing your brand to appeal to a ‘broad TG’ - which is really code for “we haven’t thought this through”

• Pitching yourself as a “platform” when you haven’t nailed a single product-market fit yet

It sounds ambitious - and founders love the sound of ambition.

But here’s the kicker:

Trying to boil the ocean rarely gets you to scale.

It usually just results in:

• Scattered execution

• Brand confusion

• Team burnout

• And a very sad-looking P&L

It’s like opening a buffet before perfecting a single dish. No one remembers that you offered everything. They remember that none of it was great.

So before you add your 7th SKU or your 3rd vertical or try to serve Gen Z and new moms in the same campaign - pause.

You might be boiling more than just water.

Why Founders Fall Into This Trap?

No one sets out to boil the ocean. It usually starts with good intentions - then spirals into chaos somewhere between pitch decks and product launches.

The “Big TAM” Trap

Ah yes, the classic investor slide: “India’s FMCG market is $60B and growing at 12% CAGR…”

To prove you're playing in a massive market, you end up cramming in multiple categories, verticals, and use-cases, just to show how big this can get.

But here’s the irony:

Big TAM doesn’t win funding. Believable TAM does.

Investors don’t need you to conquer all of India on Day 1. They need to believe you can own one small, sharp wedge and expand from there.

The “We’re Different” Complex

Founders hate being boxed in. You’re not just another coffee brand - you’re a productivity ritual. Not just a skincare line - you’re self-care redefined.

That instinct to differentiate is a good one. But when it leads to overcomplication - launching too many SKUs, chasing too many claims, or trying to serve too many use-cases - you end up diluting what makes you different in the first place.

Great brands don’t do more. They do one thing so well that everyone talks about it.

Ego + Ambition

This one’s personal.

You believe in the mission. You’ve lived the problem. You’re so sure there’s a better way - and you want to build all of it, right now.

It comes from a place of passion. But that passion can blur your judgment, especially early on.

The result? You overbuild. Overpromise. Overextend.

And before you know it, you’re managing complexity instead of creating value.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

But here’s the truth:

Big vision is only beautiful when it's backed by brutal clarity in execution.

You can dream of a hundred products. But start by nailing one.

And remember - nobody builds a skyscraper by designing the penthouse first. You dig deep, lay the foundation, and build brick by brick.

Focus Wins. Every. Single. Time.

When it comes to building consumer brands, the one principle that never goes out of style is this:

Do one thing. Do it insanely well. Then earn the right to do more.

Let’s look at some killer examples of brands that embraced this mantra - and won.

1. Slurrp Farm

Started with a sharp, niche idea: millet-based snacks just for kids. Not health food for all, not nutrition for working professionals - just kids. That one audience gave them clarity in formulation, packaging, distribution, and messaging.

Once they nailed that, they expanded into pancakes, cereals, even millet flour for the whole family. But only after earning love and trust.

2. The Whole Truth

This one’s a masterclass. Started with one protein bar. One product. One promise: no hidden ingredients.

They didn’t scream “we’ll change the food system.” They said:

"Here’s a bar. Flip it. Read it. Nothing to hide."

That honesty was their wedge. And it was enough to build a cult.

Today, they’re in nut butters, muesli, chocolates - but each expansion feels earned, not forced.

3. Blue Tokai

They weren’t trying to be the Starbucks of India from Day 1. They just said: “Here’s damn good Indian-origin coffee, roasted fresh, delivered to your door.”

It resonated. From one blend and one brewing guide, they built a brand that now spans cafes, cold brews, retail packs, and subscription plans. But always on their own timeline.

4. Minimalist

They didn't try to compete with 40 SKUs in personal care. They launched with simple, active-ingredient-led skincare, backed by science and focused on transparency.

No gimmicks, no 14-step Korean routine. Just clean, clear, effective skincare. Focus won.

See the pattern?

None of these brands tried to boil the ocean.

They boiled just enough water to make really good tea.

They focused, built trust, and scaled with intent - not impulse.

Because focus isn’t just a strategy - it’s your moat when you’re small.

When you’re early, you don’t have unlimited cash or bandwidth.

You only have two things: your product, and your story.

So make them both unmissable.

Let’s be real - trying to do everything right out of the gate doesn’t make you look ambitious.

It makes you look confused.

When you try to boil the ocean, here’s what actually happens:

Diluted Messaging = Washed-Out Brand

If you’re launching with protein bars, peanut butters, kombuchas, and adaptogen shots all at once… what do you even stand for?

Consumers (and investors) love clarity. If your message sounds like a buffet, no one knows what you’re really serving.

Are you the clean label brand? The indulgent cheat brand? The lifestyle movement?

If you’re everything, you’re nothing.

Operational Chaos = Burn, Baby, Burn

Each SKU is not just a new flavor - it’s a new headache.

New vendor. New packaging. New logistics issues. New inventory challenges.

Throw in perishability or compliance for fun.

You don’t just burn money - you burn time, energy, and team morale.

Founders become firefighters. Strategy goes out the window.

No Product Love = No Product Loyalty

When you spread yourself thin, none of your products get the attention they deserve.

Your hero product doesn’t get enough R&D. Your messaging becomes generic. You launch, but you don’t resonate.

Consumers might try your stuff once. But they won’t come back.

And that repeat rate? That’s what makes a business.

Fundraising Friction = Fuzzy Value Prop

Investors aren't looking for chaos in a deck.

When they see too many verticals, half-baked strategies, and no clear beachhead - what they really see is risk.

Confusion = concern.

And concern = closed wallets.

Even if your vision is solid, too many moving parts make it hard for investors to bet on one clear win.

You Don’t Need to Be Everywhere on Day 1

You just need to be somewhere - doing something - really, really well.

That’s it.

Startups aren’t about doing more. They’re about doing less - better.

Be sharp. Be simple. Be unforgettable.

Because when your first product lands, your brand takes off.

What I Tell Founders Instead

Okay, so you’re not going to boil the ocean. Great.

But what do you do instead?

Here’s the playbook I share with founders. It’s not sexy. But it works.

1. Start With a Sharp Wedge

You don’t need to be a Swiss Army knife on Day 1. You need to be a scalpel.

Pick:

• One audience (not “India”... maybe “urban millennial moms in tier-1 cities”)

• One core need (snacking without guilt, hydration with taste, whatever it is)

• One product that nails it

Win that first battle. Become undeniable in that micro-market. Let people beg you for what’s next.

Remember: Amazon sold books. Oatly sold oat milk. boAt sold affordable earphones.

Nobody launched with 14 categories and a LinkedIn vision statement.

2. Build a Cult, Not a Crowd

You don’t need to be for everyone. You need to be for someone, deeply.

Make 1,000 people love you - not 10,000 people kinda like you.

Because loyalty spreads. Tribes evangelize.

The cult becomes the crowd. That’s how movement brands are born.

Ask The Whole Truth. Ask Sleepy Owl. Ask Blue Tokai.

They didn’t chase reach. They built resonance.

3. Expand Only When You’ve Earned It

Don’t drop a new SKU just because the factory has extra capacity.

Don’t enter a new category just because the competition did.

Expand when:

• Your customers are literally asking you for more

• Your systems can handle the complexity

• Your first product has already won

Think: product-market pull, not founder-FOMO.

4. Have a TAM Roadmap, Not a TAM Fantasy

Yes, dream big. Yes, show investors the massive $60B market slide.

But also: map the journey to that TAM.

What’s your stepwise expansion? What categories unlock when?

Paint a story of intentional growth, not accidental sprawl.

Because “We’ll get there eventually” isn’t a strategy - it’s a wish.

In short: think big, start narrow, scale sharp.

Master one hill before you chase the whole mountain range.

Look, I get it. We’re wired to dream big. We romanticize scale. We love the idea of being everywhere, doing everything, for everyone.

But here’s the truth: startups aren’t built with ambition alone.

They’re built with clarity, discipline, and focus that borders on obsession.

The founders who win aren’t the ones who chased ten ideas at once. They’re the ones who nailed one thing, earned trust, built traction - and then scaled.

So don’t stress about your 10-year vision on Day 1. Worry about your Day 1 product and Day 1 user. Make something exceptional.

Make one cup of tea that’s so damn good, people start lining up for more.

Because great brands don’t start as empires.

They start as cult favorites, born from precision - not confusion.

If this hit home, send it to a founder friend who might be boiling a little too hard right now.

And if you’re building something focused - and want to chat strategy, scale, or just vent over a coffee - drop me a line. I’m always up for a real conversation.

Let’s build smarter. One cup at a time.