--- mw_bundle: 1 id: DlrrKcQ2 title: "Launch strategy: Show HN week" url: https://memory.wiki/b/DlrrKcQ2 document_count: 5 updated: 2026-05-14T19:20:11.627Z analysis_generated_at: 2026-05-14T19:20:11.627Z source: "memory.wiki" --- # Launch strategy: Show HN week > Pre-launch plan + GTM channels + what not to do. The strategy bundle a reviewer can read end-to-end. **Intent:** Curated bundle: Launch strategy: Show HN week ## Summary This bundle represents a comprehensive launch strategy for mdfy, a cross-AI memory product positioning itself as a structural alternative to AI provider memory limitations. The documents establish both the strategic thesis (AI companies can't build cross-AI memory due to business model constraints) and the tactical execution plan focusing on Hacker News as the primary launch channel. The strategy emphasizes extreme focus over breadth, with clear success metrics and product boundaries designed to maintain competitive differentiation. ## Themes - Cross-AI Structural Advantage - Focused Launch Strategy - Product Positioning Through Constraints - Founder-Led Go-to-Market ## Cross-document insights - The structural moat thesis creates a compelling narrative but requires perfect execution on launch day to prove the concept resonates with developers who actually use multiple AI tools - The extreme focus on just three channels (especially heavy emphasis on HN) creates high risk/high reward scenario - if HN doesn't work, there's limited backup distribution - The 'what I'm NOT doing' document reveals potential scope creep risks that could dilute the cross-AI positioning if not maintained during growth - Success metrics are front-loaded on launch day performance rather than longer-term retention, which may not align with a memory product's natural usage patterns ## Key takeaways - Cross-AI memory represents a structural competitive advantage that AI companies cannot replicate due to business model constraints requiring user retention within their ecosystems - Launch strategy deliberately concentrates on three channels (Hacker News, founder content, YouTuber outreach) rather than spreading effort across many channels - Success depends on hitting specific metrics on Hacker News launch day, with front page visibility for 4+ hours as the realistic upside scenario ## Open questions / gaps - No post-launch strategy or pivot plan if the HN launch fails to meet success thresholds - Limited validation that the target ICP (multi-AI tool users) actually experiences the memory problem as described - Missing competitive response scenarios - how to maintain structural moat if AI companies partner or change business models - No retention or activation strategy beyond initial sign-ups - unclear how users become 'keepers' ## Notable connections - **doc:1tyw7rGT** ↔ **doc:r_HaRypO** — The structural moat thesis from the first document becomes the core differentiator emphasized in the Show HN post content - **doc:8MD8xlLA** ↔ **doc:mXy_aztt** — The focused three-channel strategy culminates in concrete Hacker News launch metrics and execution expectations - **doc:q13ymHpq** ↔ **doc:8MD8xlLA** — Product boundaries document reinforces the marketing focus strategy by defining what won't be pursued - **doc:r_HaRypO** ↔ **doc:mXy_aztt** — The tactical Show HN post plan directly feeds into the success metrics and launch day expectations ## Concepts (this bundle) - **Cross-AI Memory** - **Structural Moat** - **Focus Over Breadth** - **Markdown URLs** - **Founder as Channel** ## Concept relations - **Cross-AI Memory** ↔ **Structural Moat** — creates advantage ## Documents ### 1. [Show HN plan (working draft)](https://memory.wiki/r_HaRypO) Living plan that I refine before launch day. *sections:* Title: Show HN: mdfy – Your AI memory, deployable to any AI | … ### 2. [Launch day: what success looks like](https://memory.wiki/mXy_aztt) Show HN day plan. The thresholds I'm pre-committing to so I don't accidentally move them post-hoc. *sections:* The realistic upside: Top of HN front page for 4+ hours. Requires hitting the front page within the first hour after posting (HN's ranking algorithm strongly favours early velocity) ; 800-1500 sign-ups within 24h; ~150-300 trial-to-keeper conversions (define "keeper" as: still has at least one doc 14 days post-sign-up); 4-6 inbound press / podcast queries; 1-3 inbound investor reach-outs (which I'll defer politely; not raising) | The reasonable mid case: Front page for 1-2 hours, conversation in the 100-200 comment range.; 200-400 sign-ups; 30-80 keepers; The bigger value is the conversation itself — I'll mine the comments for what reads as the most compelling and the most repelling | … ### 3. [GTM: the three channels I'll work](https://memory.wiki/8MD8xlLA) Concentration > spray. If I pick five channels and half-do them, none of them work. *sections:* The three: 1. Hacker News. One Show HN at launch. One follow-up post in 4 weeks. After that, organic posts when there's a real artifact (a benchmark, a build-in-public mil; The ICP overlap is genuinely high (developers using multiple AI tools).; The format rewards specificity (technical write-ups, real numbers, no marketing fluff).; I can write in my actual voice without translating. | … ### 4. [What I'm NOT doing](https://memory.wiki/q13ymHpq) Negative space matters more than the positive list when the work is wide. Pinning this somewhere I'll re-read. *sections:* … ### 5. [Cross-AI as a structural moat](https://memory.wiki/1tyw7rGT) The argument distilled, because I keep getting this question. *sections:* The claim: AI companies cannot build cross-AI memory. The cross-AI position is structurally available only to a non-AI-company. | The reasoning: Every AI company has the same revenue equation: users staying inside the product. ChatGPT's memory works in ChatGPT because making it work in Cursor would teach | The implication: The layer above the AI providers is structurally available to a player whose revenue doesn't depend on holding the user inside any one wall. That's us. | Two pushbacks I've heard: > "But the AI companies will partner with each other." | … _Digest view — follow any link above to fetch that doc's full markdown. Add `?full=1` to this URL for the concatenated payload._