Over the last few years, I’ve spoken to hundreds of aspiring founders. Some had just an idea scribbled in a notebook. Some already raised money. Some had been building for 8 months and still hadn’t launched.
And I noticed a painful pattern.
Most startups don’t fail because the founders are lazy.
They don’t fail because the tech is bad.
They fail because they build something nobody actually needed.
That’s why today, the first thing I tell founders is something that surprises them:
“Don’t build your startup yet.”
Let me explain.
The Most Expensive Mistake Founders Make
When someone gets a startup idea, the excitement is crazy. You imagine the product, the app screens, the logo, the launch post, the funding announcement. Your brain jumps straight to building.
So what happens?
You hire developers or start coding yourself.
You design features.
You add dashboards, login systems, notifications, payment integrations…
Three months later, you have something that looks like a product.
Then you launch.
And nothing happens.
No signups.
No paying users.
No excitement.
At that point, the founder thinks, “Maybe we need better marketing.” But the real problem is deeper.
They built a solution before proving the problem was painful enough.
The “Build First, Pray Later” Path
This is the path most startups take. I call it:
Guess → Build → Hope
It usually looks like this:
- Founder has an idea
- Starts building the full product
- Launches after months of work
- Realizes users don’t really care
It’s not because the founder is bad. It’s Validation skipped. Assumptions were treated as facts.
I’ve seen founders spend 6–12 months building something, only to discover that:
- Users don’t have that problem frequently
- They’re not willing to pay
- There are simpler alternatives
- The target audience was wrong
All of that could have been discovered in weeks, not months.
The Smarter Path: Validate First
Now let’s flip the process.
Instead of:
Idea → Build → Launch
We follow:
Idea → Test Demand → Proof → Build MVP
This single change saves founders time, money, and emotional burnout.
Before writing a single line of production code, we ask:
- Do people really have this problem?
- Do they care enough to try a solution?
- Would they pay, or at least show strong interest?
And we don’t answer these with opinions. We answer them with signals.
What “Testing Demand” Actually Means
When I say “validation,” many founders imagine complicated surveys and market research reports. That’s not what I mean.
Validation is about behavior, not just words.
Here are simple ways we test demand:
1. Landing Page Test
We create a simple page describing the solution and a clear action like “Join Early Access.” If people sign up, that’s a real signal.
2. Messaging Test
We test different problem statements to see which one people respond to. Sometimes the idea is right, but the positioning is wrong.
3. Waitlist or Interest Form
We see how many people are willing to leave their email or number for something that doesn’t exist yet. That shows intent.
4. Problem Conversations
Instead of asking “Would you use this?”, we ask, “How do you solve this today?” If they already struggle and use workarounds, that’s a strong sign.
None of this requires a full product. Just clarity and speed.
A Real Example
Let’s say a founder comes with this idea:
“An app that delivers healthy snacks daily to office employees.”
Build-first approach:
They design the app, subscription system, delivery tracking, and admin panel. Four months gone. Then they launch and realize offices already have vendors or employees aren’t interested in paying.
Validate-first approach:
Before building an app, we create a simple page:
“Healthy office snacks delivered every morning, starting at ₹2,999/month.”
We run small ads targeting office workers. In a week:
- 100+ people sign up for early access
- Several say they’re willing to pay
- We learn which snack types they prefer
Now we have proof.
What an MVP Really Means
Many founders misunderstand MVP.
They think MVP means:
“Smaller version of my big product.”
But the real meaning is:
The smallest product that helps you start learning from real users.
Sometimes an MVP isn’t even an app. It can be:
- A manual service
- A no-code tool
- A simple dashboard
- Even a spreadsheet behind the scenes
The goal is not to impress investors with features.
The goal is to learn what users truly value.
Why This Matters So Much
Early-stage startups don’t die from lack of features. They die from lack of demand.
Every month spent building without validation increases:
- Financial risk
- Emotional stress
- Team burnout
- Founder self-doubt
But when founders see early signs of demand, even small ones everything changes. They build with confidence. Conversations with investors improve. Decisions become data-backed, not emotional.
What I Believe Founders Really Need
Founders don’t just need developers.
They don’t just need advisors.
They need someone who stands between idea and product and asks:
“Is this worth building?”
That question can save a startup.
My work with startups revolves around this belief:
We shouldn’t rush to build. We should rush to learn.
Once the market says “yes,” building becomes much less risky and much more focused.
The Line I Repeat Often
I tell founders this all the time:
“I’m not here to stop you from building.
I’m here to make sure you build after the market says yes.”
That’s the difference.
And honestly, once a founder truly understands this, their whole approach to startups changes.
They stop chasing features.
They start chasing signals.
And that’s when real startups are born.
If you’re a founder reading this and you’re still at the idea stage, don’t feel behind. You’re actually at the most important stage.
Just remember:
Building feels productive.
But validation is what makes building meaningful.
