Speed beats perfection in emerging markets

By Jonathan Joel Mentor | @jonathanjmentor 

A Parallel Growth Approach for Startups That Can’t Afford to Wait

Whether you’re building from Santo Domingo or São Paulo, the startup path rarely plays out in a straight line. But one thing’s certain: waiting for perfection is often just another name for staying stuck.

The Parallel Growth Plan is a simple but powerful approach for getting momentum fast. It’s about launching a version of your product or service that’s good enough to work, while building toward something better, and eventually reaching what’s optimal. Not theoretical. Not aspirational. Just real-world execution in motion.

In emerging markets, especially, speed matters more than polish. Miss the window, and you might not get another.

Three Versions. One Direction.

The “Good” Version
– The functional draft. Think MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
– Solves the core problem with no bells or whistles.
– Built to be shipped under pressure—not perfect, but presentable.
– Let’s you collect feedback and prove movement.

The “Better” Version
– Incorporates real-world feedback and user insights.
– Adds the features that matter after the foundation is laid.
– Polishes rough edges, but doesn’t slow down progress.

The “Best” Version
– The version you dream about—but now informed by proof.
– Focused on performance, user experience, and scalability.
– Built not in a vacuum, but through lived iterations.

Why It Matters for Builders in DR & LATAM

Startups in places like the DR don’t always have the luxury of long runways or a room full of venture capitalists to impress. What we do have is hustle, feedback loops, and a growing base of customers willing to test things that work.

The Parallel Growth mindset means saying yes to traction now, while still designing for scale later. It’s less about rushing and more about resisting the paralysis of trying to “get it right” before you’ve gotten it out.

How to Start Moving (Without Waiting on Perfect)

– Set a Hard Deadline: Done is better than perfect.
– Define “Good Enough”: Be honest about what solves the problem today.
– Build What You Can, Track What You’ll Improve: Don’t throw away the to-do list—sequence it.
– Iterate Publicly: Let your early users help shape the “Better.”
– Reinvest Learnings into the “Optimal”: If and when you get there, it’ll be built on something real.

A Note on Methodology

Some founders call this agile. Others call it just surviving. I call it strategic iteration.  And in ecosystems like ours, it’s how a new generation of startups is closing the credibility gap, not by waiting, but by building in public.

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Jonathan Joel Mentor is the Founder & CEO of Successment | Revenue Growth Strategist | Expert in Startup Ecosystem Development | United Nations World Summit Award Nominee