Business Strategy
Product-Market Fit
The degree to which a product satisfies strong market demand. Achieved when customers actively seek out and recommend the product, and growth becomes organic rather than forced.
Biological Context
Product-market fit parallels ecological niche fit—finding the environmental conditions where an organism thrives. Like organisms adapted to specific niches, products must match specific customer needs. Poor fit means struggling to survive; good fit means thriving with less effort.
Business Application
Marc Andreessen: 'You can always feel when product-market fit isn't happening... and you can always feel product-market fit when it's happening.' Signs include organic growth, customer enthusiasm, and retention without heavy intervention.