Users don't Care About Your Idea
Most startups start with this mindset: "I have an idea for an app / software / business. It helps users achieve ****. It's gonna be the next big thing."
This is wrong, as:
1. it assumes that you already know what users want (no one exactly does). 2. It doesn't consider that users are not patiently waiting for your app/software and may be already using something similar.
3. used by many founders who care more about riding the shortest, biggest trend than solve a painful problem for the long haul.
If you want to build a great product, think of it differently:
"This group of people have this problem that's seriously affecting their life/work. How can I help them?"
This approach:
1. Assumes you know little ( which is a good point to start from, especially as a solo founder)
2. Is human-centred,
3. Narrows down your target audience,
4. employs empathy.
5. Accepts that there are different other ways to solve the problem effectively. Sometimes the best solution may not be an app or a website.
The biggest merits of this strategy is that you will engage with potential customers, build trust and community, listen effectively, and sell with little to no marketing effort
Everything requires time and it is a process. And when somebody says that the product is definitive, he/she lies because really good product is evolving over time (because of feedback, needs of the market, changing macroeconomic situation etc.) :)
That’s right. Consumers are no longer easily influenced by marketing, nor do they appreciate it. It's essential to refine the target audience, demonstrate empathy, and engage with them authentically. However, the real challenge lies in identifying potential target customers
I agree with you that users are more concerned with methods that can solve their real-life problems. It's better to list multiple solutions and briefly explain their pros and cons, so they can choose the one that best suits their needs.
For example, we have a software called iBoysoft NTFS for Mac, which helps users (especially those transitioning from Windows) read and write NTFS-formatted disks, SD cards, USB flash drives, etc., on Mac computers. Although Mac computers can only read NTFS drives by default, they do not allow users to modify, add, or delete content on them. Apple users who are proficient in computer technology can also use the Terminal command line to read and write NTFS drives (provided their macOS version is Sonoma or earlier) or use a virtual machine.
I completely agree with this approach. I've seen too many startups fall into the trap of thinking they know what users need when they really don't. Focusing on a real, painful problem, and asking, "How can I help?", truly makes a difference. It forces you to be humble, listen, and engage with your audience in a meaningful way.
Thanks for sharing this; it’s a great reminder to build products that genuinely solve issues rather than just chasing trends. @blarckat
Agree with what you said. A good product starts with identifying the real pain points of users. This process requires continuous communication and listening to truly understand their needs. Even after the product is created, it is essential to keep interacting with users and making adjustments and improvements based on their feedback.
Absolutely agree! The best products come from truly understanding a problem, not just having a cool idea.
In our case with Draftly, we saw that many professionals struggle with LinkedIn consistency—not because they lack knowledge, but because they lack time and structure. Instead of just building an AI writing tool, we focused on making content creation effortless while keeping posts authentic and engaging.
I generally agree. However, there are two reasons why startup founders — often intelligent and hardworking people — start with an idea.
First, it’s hard to move forward without an idea, whereas a good idea can drive you to work 20-hour days and still feel energized. Second, the ability to work with a product concept makes it easier to adapt when user needs change, strong competitors emerge, or other challenges arise.
That said, I would frame it differently. A product can originate from anything — an idea, a response to user needs, or market research. Ideas are easy to come up with; they cost nothing and take little time. But before writing even a single line of code, any idea must be examined through the lens of user needs and market competition.
Similarly, if we start with audience needs, we must thoroughly define the product concept instead of following users mindlessly. Otherwise, it will be difficult to scale, cut unnecessary features, set development priorities, etc.
This is such an important mindset shift. It’s easy to fall into the trap of "I have an idea, now let’s find users for it", instead of starting with "What problem is painful enough that people are actively looking for solutions?"
When I started working on Graphify, I wasn’t thinking, "Let’s build a Notion graph tool". Instead, I kept seeing people struggle with navigating large Notion workspaces and wishing for something like Obsidian’s graph view. That’s when it clicked.
The hardest part is actually listening—realizing that what users say they want and what they actually need aren’t always the same thing.
Curious—what's an example of a product that you think really nailed this problem-first approach?