As a VC and serial founder, I see what's really happening with Stable Diffusion XL behind the scenes. This is the insider perspective for for founders that you won't find on any news site.
The Framework That Actually Works
Here is a simple framework for evaluating Stable Diffusion XL. It's not complicated, but it requires discipline.
Step 1: customer feedback is the only metric that matters
This is where most people go wrong. They skip this step entirely and jump straight to execution. Don't do that.
Step 2: the data tells a different story than your gut
Once you have the foundation right, this becomes much easier. I've watched founders struggle with this for months when the answer was staring them in the face.
Step 3: Iterate relentlessly
Nothing works perfectly the first time. The companies that get Stable Diffusion XL right treat it as an ongoing process, not a one-time project.
The Counterintuitive Truth
In Stable Diffusion XL, the best practitioners often do less, not more.
The lesson: you need to move fast and break things. It sounds simple. It's incredibly hard to execute.
Real Talk: What Actually Matters
Here is what actually matters in Stable Diffusion XL.
First, execution speed beats perfection. Every time. Companies rarely fail because they moved too fast on Stable Diffusion XL. Many fail because they moved too slowly.
Second, measure everything. If you can't measure it, you can't improve it. Set up tracking from day one, even if it's basic.
Third, talk to your users. It sounds obvious, but many founders make decisions about Stable Diffusion XL in a vacuum. Get out of the building. Talk to real people.
This connects to broader themes around image generation, Midjourney, Sora, Stable Diffusion that I've been thinking about a lot lately.
What's Next
Best practice in Stable Diffusion XL is changing fast. What worked last year might not work next year. That's both the challenge and the opportunity.
My advice: stay curious, stay humble, and stay close to the people who are actually doing the work. Read less thought leadership and do more experiments. Talk to fewer consultants and more practitioners.
If you're building in this space, the best time to get Stable Diffusion XL right is before you need to. Don't wait for a crisis to force your hand.
I'll keep sharing what I learn. This stuff matters too much to keep to myself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:Do all experts agree with this view?
No, and that's fine. The best ideas in business are often contrarian. I share my perspective based on my experience and data, but I encourage you to seek out opposing viewpoints and form your own conclusions.
Q:What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.
Q:How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.
Q:What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 234 startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.