Are You Building a Real Business or Fooling Yourself?
The Reality Check
Many founders convince themselves they’re building a business before they actually are. I know this because I’ve done it too. And so have countless others.
Recently, a friend shared his experience of building logistics software for fleet owners. He spent a year interviewing 40+ fleet owners, iterating on the product, and receiving glowing feedback. When we met, he eagerly discussed his next set of features, but here’s the catch: he hadn’t yet landed a single paying customer.
The Dangerous Trap of Customer Love
This reminded me of a similar mistake I made with my edtech business:
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We had incredible traction, loyal customers, and glowing feedback.
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Yet, we avoided asking for money because we feared losing that love.
But here’s the harsh truth: Revenue is the only metric that proves your idea is real.
India’s Unique Challenge
Engaging customers and paying customers in India are worlds apart. A product loved by many might still fail to generate revenue because:
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Paying customers often have different needs than engaged users.
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Feedback doesn’t always translate into willingness to pay.
The Lesson: Test With Revenue, Not Love
The only way to validate your business is to launch your product and charge for it. Yes, it’s daunting—what if nobody pays? What if customer love vanishes when money enters the equation?
That fear is valid. But wasting time on non-paying customers is far riskier.
What You Gain by Asking for Payment
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Valuable Insights: You learn whether customers see real value in your solution.
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Clarity on Next Steps: If they don’t pay, you know it’s time to pivot, improve, or abandon the idea.
The Founder’s Playbook
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Launch. Get your product in front of customers.
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Test. Ask for payment—no exceptions.
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Learn. Accept failure, iterate, and try again.
The Result?
One day, you’ll figure it out. And when you do, the money will follow.