November 16, 2025

#1175 Right Idea, Wrong Team: Lessons from a $200 Million Miss | Danny Kirk

8 minutes

Sometimes, early success can fool you into thinking you’ve built the perfect business. That’s what happened to Danny Kirk, who launched a software-as-a-service company right after finishing a music degree. He and his co-founder found a great niche, landed a $4,500 sale on a $300 MVP, and took off fast. The catch? Neither of them could actually build the product beyond that first version.

They were great at selling and marketing but never filled their technical gap — and that’s what cost them. Five years later, they sold the business, while a competitor in the same space sold to Oracle for $200 million. Same idea, different outcome.

Here’s what Danny learned:

Find your missing piece early. Whether it’s a technical co-founder, a contractor, or even AI tools to bridge the gap, make sure every critical skill is covered before you scale.

Build a team that makes you uncomfortable. The best collaborators are the ones who spot problems you don’t want to see and tell you the truth, even when it stings.

Reward people who speak up. Create systems or incentives that encourage team members to flag issues — big or small — before they turn into disasters.

As Danny put it, success isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about knowing what you can’t do, and finding the right people (or tools) to fill that gap.

About Danny Kirk

Danny Kirk is a classically trained trumpet player, turned entrepreneur and small business owner. He’s started and grown multiple companies over the past decade, and now does growth marketing at ReddiReach for startups and SMBs, 500+ and counting.

Learn more:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpkirk/

https://reddireach.com/

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