If I Love My Idea, Customers Will Too.”
Why That Thinking Could Kill Your Startup. It’s one of the most common (and dangerous) misconceptions in entrepreneurship: “If I think my solution is brilliant, surely others will too.”
Founders fall into this trap all the time. They become so enamored with their product or technology that they forget the most important question: What problem are you solving, and for whom?
In The Start-Up Puzzle, we call this out as the first and most fatal mistake.
Mistake 1: Falling in Love with Your Solution
The best start-ups don’t start with a product. They start with a problem. Your idea might be clever. Your tech might be impressive. But if it doesn’t address a clear pain point that people are struggling with, you’re building in a vacuum. Ask yourself: What problem is this solving? Who really feels that pain? Is it big enough to matter? Until you can answer those, you’re guessing.
Mistake 2: Assuming Your Customer Is Like You
Another common trap? Thinking your target user is just like you. Many founders say, “I’d use this, so others will too.” But building a business on your own preferences is like designing a product for a focus group of one. Real customer understanding comes from research, interviews, observation, and relentless feedback. You’re not the user. They are. Let them tell you what they value.
What to Do Instead
The Start-Up Puzzle teaches you to test, listen, and adapt: Use customer discovery interviews to validate demand, identify real friction and pain points, refine your value proposition until it’s clear in 10 seconds or less. Take Uber, for example. Their original pitch wasn’t about technology or branding. It was simple: “Tap the app, get a ride.” Clear. Friction-free. And totally customer-focused. The best founders don’t explain harder. They listen better. Learn how to build a business people actually want at www.startuppuzzle.com
