For some, the startup journey begins by understanding the problems experienced by a particular audience as they try to do a job or process. For others, building a product or business came out of an idea to develop something - and now they are looking for the audience who wants to use it.
I've done both. Here's three lessons I took away from those experiences:
Have a long-term vision, but just build an MVP or prototype Sometimes you need to start by building out the the product (MVP or prototype) to see how you feel about it and explore what it could be.
Split your time well: 40% understanding users, 40% marketing. 20% on the product Do more research and marketing than building at the start. Have at least one user in-the-loop from day one, even if that user is you. Rebalance your time towards the product when you've got evidence that you're on to something.
If no one is using it, you don't have a product. If no one is paying for it, you don't have a business If you can get passionate about solving other people's problems, lifting people up, and giving back - you will succeed. Find some "generous skeptics" and let them in for free or in exchange for an amazing deal.
You increase your product's chance of success significantly when you can offer a group of people a better, faster, or cheaper way to do whatever it is they want to do.
To understand the "job" they are trying to do, you need to think in terms of 'markets'.