The TikTok Approach to Innovation

Want to create the next big thing? Take it from me, the guy who led the app that became TikTok: Your users are your real innovators.

- ALEX HOFMANN

There are different approaches to innovation: You can either create something completely revolutionary, like Snapchat. Or, you can develop a product that people are somewhat familiar with, watch how they use it, and then lean heavily into building out the features they enjoy most.

From what I have seen, the latter has a higher chance of success. It's what has guided my career in consumer apps-including my time as president of Musical.ly in 2015 through its ByteDance acquisition and rebranding as TikTok in 2017, to my current endeavor building new products that connect people, like Wink (a friend-making app with 2 million users) and Summer (today's fastest-growing new dating app).

Think of innovation like this: Imagine you are a DJ and there are 500 people in the audience. If you start the night by playing very edgy, unfamiliar music, then chances are you won't get people dancing. But if you lead with something everyone knows, they'll start moving-and then you can see what sounds and beats they're really jamming to and bring in new selections based on what you've observed from your audience.