Why building in a vacuum kills more startups than bad code ever will

Some of the most technically brilliant founders I’ve met failed anyway.
Not because they couldn’t build—but because they built for the wrong person, in the wrong way, at the wrong time.

They were obsessed with the product.
But blind to the customer.

And it’s one of the most consistent—and preventable—startup mistakes I’ve seen.

The Fantasy Loop

This is how it usually goes:

• The founder has an idea they love.
• They spend months building a “perfect” MVP.
• They launch it with pride—and wait for users to come.
• The silence is deafening.

Why? Because they never built it with real customer input.
They built it for themselves.

Startups don’t fail because of tech limitations.
They fail because the founder didn’t listen early enough.

Signs You’re Too Product-Led

I see the same red flags across founders who fall into this trap:

• They’ve written thousands of lines of code—but had zero customer interviews.
• They’re focused on features—before they’ve nailed the problem.
• They’re proud of the UI—but vague about who it’s actually for.
• They say “when we launch” more than “when we learn.”

They want validation after the fact—
instead of earning it before they build.

The Fix: Customer-Led Building

Here’s what I tell every founder I work with:

• Talk to customers before you design anything. Understand their pain—then build.
• Don’t build what they say. Build what they do. Observe behaviour, not just opinions.
• Ship early, learn fast. Let users shape direction, not just react to it.
• Map the “job to be done.” Solve one critical pain, not ten vague ones.

Products evolve.
But if the customer isn’t part of the evolution—you’re building in the dark.

What Great Founders Do Differently

They don’t assume. They investigate.

They don’t hide in “stealth mode” for 12 months—they put raw, early versions in front of people who’ll actually use it.

They don’t wait for confidence.
They seek clarity—through feedback, iteration, and uncomfortable truths.

They build what matters—not just what’s clever.

Final Thought

The best product in the world means nothing if no one needs it.

Build what your customers feel—not what you fantasise.
Otherwise, you’re not solving a problem.
You’re just creating one you’ll have to explain to investors later.