The Cold Start Problem
Andrew Chen's The Cold Start Problem explains how to launch and scale network-effect businesses. Drawing on experiences from Uber and other tech companies, Chen describes the atomic networks that ignite growth, the roles of acquisition loops, engagement loops, and economics loops, and the tactics required to move from niche communities to mass-market platforms.
The book offers practical playbooks for solving early liquidity challenges, designing onboarding that kick-starts interactions, and defending networks as they mature. It is essential reading for teams orchestrating two-sided markets.