At Delivery Dudes, we believe we're better than our competitors. Not because we have more money—we definitely don't. But because of our customer focus, strong training, and genuine relationships with local restaurants.
This piece is for entrepreneurs competing against well-funded rivals.
The Market Context
VC funding in food delivery peaked in 2015 but remains substantial as major firms acquire market share. Our primary competitors include Uber, DoorDash, PostMates, and GrubHub—all significantly larger with deeper resources.
So how do we compete?
Our key achievement: A team of six launched eleven new products in one year, from scratch. That's efficiency that money can't buy.
Here's how we do it:
1. Ask Critical Questions
Before building anything, we ask ourselves:
- Is this the biggest customer problem we can solve?
- Do customers actually want this?
- Is it technically feasible?
- What outcomes are we expecting?
- How will we measure success?
These questions force clarity. When you don't have unlimited runway, you can't afford to build the wrong thing.
2. Work on Team Dynamics
"When you hand good people possibility, they do great things." — Biz Stone
We focus relentlessly on:
- Process improvement — Always looking for ways to work smarter
- Open communication — No information silos
- Identifying what works — Double down on successful patterns
- Eliminating ineffective practices — Kill your darlings
A well-functioning team of six will outperform a dysfunctional team of sixty.
3. Spend More Time Scoping
The biggest waste of resources I've seen comes from premature execution. Teams that skip usability testing and proper planning end up with incomplete products that require mid-project pivots.
Take the time upfront to:
- Define clear requirements
- Test your assumptions
- Get user feedback on prototypes
- Plan for edge cases
The time you invest in scoping saves multiples in development.
4. Always Finish Things
Avoid perpetual "work in progress" status. Define scope and hard deadlines.
When timelines get tight, adjust effort—not the target. Half-finished features provide zero value. A smaller, complete feature beats a larger, incomplete one every time.
You don't need venture capital to win. You need focus, a great team, and the discipline to finish what you start.
Originally published on HackerNoon.