If you’re a founder (or dreaming of becoming one), you’ve probably been told to “solve a real problem.” Maybe you’ve spent hours mapping out pain points, brainstorming solutions, and crafting your value proposition. You might even have a beautiful pitch deck filled with customer personas and market research. But here’s a hard truth: Just because you’ve identified a problem, that doesn’t mean anyone will care. Just because you’ve built a solution, that doesn’t mean anyone will buy. And just because you think your product delivers value, that doesn’t mean the market will pull it out of your hands. So what actually matters? What’s the real bottleneck every pre-PMF (pre–product-market fit) startup faces? It’s PULL. Not “should want.” Not “it’s valuable.” Not “it solves pain.” What Is “PULL” Anyway?Let’s get clear on what PULL really means. PULL isn’t about the problems you see in the world or the pain points you think are important. It’s not about what you believe customers “should want,” or even about the solution you’ve built. PULL is about what your buyers are already trying to do—right now—with whatever tools, hacks, or workarounds they can find. It’s about the projects on their to-do lists, the jobs they’re desperate to get done, and the awkward, inefficient, or downright painful ways they’re getting by today. When you find that spot—where people are actively trying to accomplish something but only have bad options—you’ve found the space for PULL. If you can offer a better way, customers will pull your solution into their world. They’ll buy, adopt, and even tell their friends. That’s when you know you’re onto something. The Difference Between PUSH and PULLMost founders start by pushing. You build something, polish your pitch, and try to convince people to care. You send cold emails, run ads, and hustle for meetings. You’re pushing your solution into the market, hoping someone bites. But the startups that really break out—the ones that scale fast—are the ones that find PULL. They discover a force in the market that’s already there, waiting for a better answer. When you tap into that force, you don’t have to push so hard. Customers come to you. Deals start closing faster. Word spreads. Suddenly, hiring sales reps isn’t about brute-forcing growth—it’s about keeping up with demand. Why PULL Is the Only Bottleneck That MattersEvery pre-PMF startup or idea faces a single, critical bottleneck: PULL. Solving for anything other than PULL is a distraction. How Do You Find PULL?Finding PULL isn’t about surveys or focus groups. It’s about observing what people are already doing, what they’re struggling with, and where they’re hacking together bad solutions. 1. Look for “Ugly Workarounds”The best evidence of PULL is when customers are cobbling together their own solutions—spreadsheets, sticky notes, manual processes, or expensive consultants—because nothing better exists. Ask yourself:
2. Listen for “Project Language”When you talk to potential customers, listen for the language of projects:
3. Watch for “Bad Options”If people are making do with clunky tools, paying for multiple services that don’t quite fit, or hiring people to do repetitive tasks, you’ve found a space with PULL. 4. Test with Minimum Viable SupplyDon’t build a full product. Start with a hypothesis about what customers are trying to do and what form factor might fit. This could be:
The goal isn’t to impress—it’s to see if people will actually pull your solution into their workflow. Minimum Viable Supply: Your PULL Validation ToolForget “minimum viable product” for a moment. Focus on “minimum viable supply.” You’re not trying to solve every problem or serve every customer. You’re trying to find the sharpest, most urgent use case where PULL is strongest. If you get traction here, you can expand. If not, you pivot—fast. Real-World Examples of Finding PULLSlack: Airtable: Calendly: The Force That Gets Deals DoneWhen you find PULL, the force to get deals done comes from the customer, not from you. This is why scaling becomes possible. When you hire sales reps in a PULL-driven startup, they’re not cold-calling into the void—they’re responding to inbound demand, closing deals that customers are eager to do. How to Design Around PULLOnce you’ve found a space with PULL, your job is to design your supply to fit perfectly.
Avoiding the Distraction TrapIt’s easy to get distracted by things that don’t matter before you have PULL:
None of this matters if you haven’t found PULL. What If You’re Not Seeing PULL?If you’re not seeing PULL, don’t panic. It doesn’t mean your idea is doomed—it just means you haven’t found the right angle yet.
The Founder’s Mindset: Obsess Over PULLThe best founders aren’t obsessed with their solution—they’re obsessed with finding and serving PULL. They ask:
If you keep asking these questions, you’ll find your way out of the pre-PMF wilderness. Final Thoughts: Make PULL Your North StarIf you’re a wannabe founder or just starting out, remember: When you do, you’ll feel the difference. That’s when you know you’re building something that matters. Invite your friends and earn rewardsIf you enjoy Startup-Side , share it with your friends and earn rewards when they subscribe.
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Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Build What Customers Pull For, Not What You Push
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Are You Stuck in the Startup Pain Cave?
The Brutal Reality Most Founders FaceIf you’re reading this, chances are you’re dreaming of launching a startup—or you’re already deep in the trenches, hustling to get your product into the world. Maybe you’re building a SaaS tool, a community, a marketplace, or something totally new. You’ve done your research. You’ve read the books, watched the YouTube videos, and maybe even taken a few online courses. But despite all your preparation, you might find yourself in a place every founder dreads: the “pain cave.” What’s the pain cave? It’s that alternate reality where you’re doing everything “right”—building features, tweaking your landing page, running surveys—yet nothing sticks. Your product is well-researched, your pitch is polished, but… nobody’s buying. You’re pushing something you believe in, but the world just shrugs. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Most founders spend way too long in the pain cave, burning time, money, and energy on products that never find real demand. Why Do So Many Founders Get Stuck Here?Let’s be honest: building is fun. It’s safe. You’re in control. You can tinker, iterate, and convince yourself that just one more feature will make all the difference. But building in a vacuum is a trap. The hard truth? Most entrepreneurs don’t fail because they can’t build—they fail because they build something nobody actually wants. We all want to believe our idea is the exception. That our research, our passion, and our unique insight will be enough. But hope is not a strategy. The market doesn’t care how much you believe in your product. It only cares if you’re solving a problem people will pay to fix. The Pain Cave: Where Good Ideas Go to DieThe pain cave is seductive. It’s filled with endless possibilities. Anything could work… in theory. But in practice, it’s a place where you can spend months (or years) perfecting something that never gets traction. You launch, you wait, and… crickets. Maybe a few polite signups, a handful of free users, but no real momentum. You start to question yourself. Was the idea wrong? Did you miss something? Should you pivot or persevere? The longer you stay in the pain cave, the harder it is to get out. Your confidence takes a hit. Your runway shrinks. And worst of all, you start to lose the joy that made you want to build in the first place. The Way Out: Find Intense Demand, Build Unique SupplyHere’s the secret: All that really matters is finding intense demand and building unique supply. It doesn’t matter how you get there. Some founders have their breakthrough during a wild ayahuasca retreat. Others stumble on it through scientific experimentation or random YOLO-luck. But for most of us, there’s a more reliable path: sell-then-build. What Is Sell-Then-Build?Sell-then-build flips the traditional startup script. Instead of building first and hoping people will come, you start by selling—before you’ve built anything substantial. This doesn’t mean scamming people or making empty promises. It means validating real demand by getting commitments (pre-orders, deposits, letters of intent, or even just strong buying signals) before you invest months of your life in development.
Why does this work? Because it forces you to answer the only question that matters: Will people actually pay for this? Why Avoiding Early Sales Is a TrapMany founders avoid early sales for all sorts of reasons:
But here’s the thing: avoiding early sales almost never works. If you can’t get someone excited enough to commit before you build, what makes you think it’ll be easier after? Early sales aren’t just about money—they’re about proof. They show you’re solving a real problem for real people. They give you feedback, momentum, and (crucially) confidence. How to Sell-Then-Build (Even If You’re Not a “Salesy” Person)You don’t have to be a natural salesperson to validate demand early. Here’s a step-by-step approach any founder can follow: 1. Start With a Clear ProblemDon’t pitch your product. Start by deeply understanding the problem you want to solve. Talk to potential customers. Ask about their pain points. Listen more than you speak. 2. Share Your VisionOnce you’ve uncovered a real pain, share your vision for how you’d solve it. This doesn’t have to be a finished product—it can be a sketch, a landing page, or even a conversation. 3. Ask for CommitmentHere’s where the rubber meets the road. Don’t just ask if they “like” your idea. Ask for a real commitment:
If people hesitate, dig deeper. Is it the price? The timing? The feature set? Their feedback is gold—use it to refine your offer. 4. Build Just Enough to DeliverOnce you have real commitments, build just enough to deliver on your promise. This keeps you focused, lean, and responsive to real customer needs. 5. Iterate Based on Real FeedbackWith paying customers (or strong commitments), you can iterate with confidence. You’re building for people who’ve already voted with their wallets. Stories From the TrenchesLet’s look at some real-world examples:
These stories aren’t just outliers. They’re proof that sell-then-build works, even for solo founders and small teams. What If You’re Not Ready to Sell?Maybe you’re still figuring out your idea. Maybe you’re nervous about rejection. That’s okay! You don’t have to go all-in on sales from day one. But the sooner you start talking to real customers, the sooner you’ll escape the pain cave. Try these low-pressure steps:
The goal isn’t to get rich overnight—it’s to learn, iterate, and build something people actually want. The Mindset Shift: From Builder to Problem SolverThe biggest shift you need to make isn’t technical—it’s mental. Stop thinking of yourself as just a builder. Start thinking of yourself as a problem solver. Your job isn’t to create the perfect product. It’s to find a real problem, validate intense demand, and build a unique solution. The rest is details. Avoiding the Pain Cave: Practical Tips
Remember: There’s No Single PathSell-then-build isn’t the only way to find product-market fit. Some founders stumble on demand through luck or intuition. Others experiment their way there. But avoiding early sales—hiding from the market—almost never works. The market is the ultimate judge. The sooner you face it, the sooner you’ll know if you’re on the right track. Final Thoughts: Escape the Pain Cave, Build What MattersIf you’re a wannabe founder or just starting out, don’t let the pain cave swallow your ambition. Don’t spend months (or years) building in isolation, hoping the world will love your idea. Instead, get out there. Talk to real people. Test your assumptions. Ask for commitments. Sell before you build. It’s not always easy, and it can be scary. But it’s the fastest, most reliable way to build something people actually want—and to build a business that lasts. So, what’s your next step? Will you keep guessing… or will you start selling? Invite your friends and earn rewardsIf you enjoy Startup-Side , share it with your friends and earn rewards when they subscribe.
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Deep-Tech Startups May Be Waiting Too Long to Run Their First Paid Pilot
Why do some of the most valuable pilots happen before the prototype, before the POC, and long before commercial deployment ͏ ͏ ...
