[jvanderbot]

I think you switched from a binary flag ("no true PMF ... ") to a scalar without realizing it:

> Most businesses don't have product-market fit in this way.

They'll have it to a lesser extent?

The word "Fit" kind of implies a scalar relationship, and the disagreement over who has "it" and who "doesn't" comes down to size of market and suitability for that market. Why can't you can be perfect for a small market, or crappy for a market so large that you initially succeed but plateau.

[gizmo]

Endothermic and exothermic are different categories of reactions and both are also scalar. PMF is exothermic in this analogy. Growth produces more growth by itself, like a raging forest fire. Whereas regular business growth is endothermic: when you stop selling you stop growing.

[jvanderbot]

Endo / Exo have a zero point, across which you discretely jump categories, after which you scale up or down subjectively.

PMF does not have a zero point. If you sell (clasically) "zero to one" item you may or may not have PMF. One nuclear reactor / aircraft carrier is a big deal. One newsletter subscription is a small deal.