Traction First - A Corporate Innovator's Guide to Unlocking Market Traction

Josh Barker, CEO of City Innovations, shares raw and hard-earned lessons from his Silicon Valley startup journey that inspired his upcoming book, Traction First. Hear how a $500K mistake taught him to “sell first, build later,” why chasing product-market fit is like riding a bike downhill, and the critical difference between solving an “aspirin problem” vs. a “vitamin problem.”
From multiple pivots to discovering rapid learning cycles and leveraging no-tech solutions, Josh reveals how founders can avoid years of struggle, validate their ideas fast, and build startups that actually gain traction.

🎧 Essential listening for founders, innovators, and anyone ready to de-risk their next big idea.

(00:00) Lessons from Silicon Valley
(04:45) The $500K Startup Mistake
(10:28) Finding Product-Market Fit
(15:50) Rapid Learning & No-Tech Validation
(20:14) Pivoting to Success
(28:33) The Myth of Silicon Valley
(35:47) Hustle Culture vs. Strategic Thinking
(41:05) Writing Traction First
(49:22) Key Takeaways for Founders

Want to learn more?
Check out our site.

https://www.tractionfirstbook.com/

Creators and Guests

Host
Chris Tromp
Chris Tromp is the COO of City Innovations, where he helps ventures go from idea to product-market fit with a “sell first, build later” approach. With over 25 years in digital strategy, marketing, and operations, he specializes in building the right product faster and with less waste.
Host
Josh Barker
Josh Barker is the CEO of City Innovations, a venture studio helping businesses turn ideas into revenue fast. He specializes in a “traction first” approach, guiding startups and corporations to their first paying customers and scalable growth.

What is Traction First - A Corporate Innovator's Guide to Unlocking Market Traction?

Josh Barker, CEO of City Innovations, a Venture Studio, shares insights from his years in the innovation industry.