The Bamboo Approach is a favorite product theory of mine.
When possible, build products the way bamboo grows: first establish a strong, supporting, interconnected infrastructure, then rapidly shoot new product features up to establish and expand market presence.
For the first year of its lifecycle, bamboo doesn't grow upwards. Instead, it builds an underground system of rhizomes that cover an area like a net, just a few inches below the ground.
After establishing this rhizome infrastructure, underground buds shoot up and grow into new bamboo shoots within weeks. This rapid growth is made possible and supported by the year of previously hidden effort.
Overtime, a bamboo grove continues its slow, horizontal expansion, and subsequent rapid upward growth into new areas... just as product platforms expand and evolve, and eventually grow into new market verticals.
The long term results of bamboo's approach to growth is an extensive grove of connected bamboo shoots that are stronger together, and incredibly resilient.
In many ways, the end result is similar to the iceberg analogy, but grown from the bottom up.