Be Bold or Be Boring

We work with product teams every day who want to build what’s next. They want to stand out, be different. They want to grow. But too often, ambition collides with caution—and bold ideas get shaved down to safer bets.

The inescapable truth is this: If you want to stand out, you can’t keep blending in.

Innovation requires courage. Not recklessness. Not hype. Courage. The kind that challenges assumptions, listens to inconvenient truths, and builds something better—not just incrementally better, but meaningfully so.

So what does being bold in innovation actually look like? Let’s get practical.

Make a Strong Choice—Then Stand Behind It

Lukewarm ideas don’t get remembered. If your positioning or product direction could describe three of your competitors, it’s time to go back to the drawing board. Bold innovation means picking a direction that’s not for everyone—and then doubling down on making it irresistible for the ones who do want it.

• Do this: Create a "Not For Us" list. Be explicit about who you aren’t building for. That’s where clarity starts.

Listen to the Right Customers (Not the Loudest Ones)

Your average customer can tell you what’s wrong. Your Catalytic Customers can show you what’s possible. These are the ones who’ve explored the edges of your product, hacked together workarounds, or moved on to alternatives because you couldn’t keep up.

Being bold means giving more weight to those pushing the boundaries—not just confirming what you already know.

• Do this: Identify 5 Catalytic Customers this quarter and bring them into your product feedback loop. Ask them what they wish your product did—then build toward that.

Prototype the Risky Idea—Not Just the Safe One

Every product team has that one “too risky” idea that keeps getting sidelined. You know the one. Being bold doesn’t mean shipping it tomorrow—it means testing it this quarter.

You don’t have to bet the whole roadmap. You just have to give the bold idea a shot at survival.

• Do this: Run a lightweight test or sketch prototype of the idea that scares you a little. Get information, not perfection.

Frame Innovation as a Strategic Investment

Bold ideas are harder to sell internally—especially in cautious times. But risk is relative. Playing it safe can be the riskiest move of all when competitors outpace you or customer needs shift faster than your roadmap.

Your job isn’t to eliminate risk. It’s to manage it—and to remind stakeholders that avoiding bold moves often means avoiding meaningful growth.

• Do this: Re-frame bold initiatives in terms of opportunity cost. “What will we lose if we don’t try this?”

Back Your Boldness with Insight

Bold without insight is bravado. Bold with evidence is vision. When you anchor your innovation efforts in deep customer understanding—especially of your most forward-looking users—you can take bigger swings with more confidence.

• Do this: Start every bold initiative with a customer insight sprint. What do your most demanding customers know that your average ones don’t?

The Lesson: The Market Rewards the Brave

The companies we remember—the ones that break through—are rarely the most cautious. They’re the ones that had the nerve to listen deeply, think differently, and act decisively.

Playing it safe rarely gets you noticed—and almost never gets you ahead. The real wins come from teams willing to take intelligent risks, backed by sharp insight and a clear point of view.

You don’t need to chase every trend or build something outrageous. But you do need the conviction to bet on what you believe, the discipline to learn fast, and the courage to make moves others won’t.

Bold isn’t reckless. Bold is what moves the needle.