DistributionEmerging Pattern

Own the transaction, not just the discovery - being a referral layer to incumbents means building distribution for competitors

Q: How many founders have validated "own the transaction, not just the discovery - being a referral layer to incumbents means building distribution for competitors"?

1 founder has proven this pattern works. Examples include Imri Goldberg, Mosi Shuchman, Nadav Gur (Desti).

When you help users discover products or services but the transaction happens elsewhere, you've created value for competitors instead of capturing it yourself. Discovery without transaction ownership creates a leaky funnel where user engagement flows directly to trusted incumbents.

When to use

When designing business model in markets with established transaction platforms; when evaluating whether discovery features create defensible value

Don't do this

Building discovery features without transaction integration, assuming users will switch transaction platforms because they like your discovery experience

1 Founder Who Did This

Destiby Imri Goldberg, Mosi Shuchman, Nadav Gur

Desti built AI-powered travel discovery that users found useful for finding destinations and recommendations

Result:Users completed bookings through TripAdvisor and other trusted platforms, generating zero revenue for Desti despite user engagement

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