I spent two years trying to build a 'cool' Austin tech company before a coffee chat fixed my brain

I was so focused on getting a slick office downtown and having the right kind of branded swag that I forgot to make something people would actually pay for. The tipping point was a coffee at Houndstooth last week with a guy who runs a boring but profitable data cleaning service. He asked me point blank, 'What's your customer's biggest pain point, and how much will they pay to fix it?' I had a whole pitch about market vision, but I couldn't give him a straight answer on price. That question sat with me for days. I realized I was building for other founders to admire, not for a real user with a wallet. Now I'm going back to talk to the five small accounting firms I had on my 'maybe' list and asking that one question. Has anyone else had to kill their 'cool' idea to chase something that actually makes money?

4 comments

4 Comments

cole_baker29d ago

Glad you had that wake up call. Honestly though, that data cleaning service probably isn't as boring as you think. Solving a real messy problem for someone is way cooler than a branded water bottle.

emma_flores29d ago

Yeah, used to think that stuff was boring too. But fixing a real problem does feel better than any free stuff.

oscarsullivan29d agoMost Upvoted

That's a good point from @emma_flores. What kind of problem did you end up fixing that changed your mind? I'm curious what actually felt rewarding about it.

marywilson1d ago

That coffee chat sounds exactly like my turning point three years ago. I was so deep into the "vibe" I forgot to build a thing that solved a Tuesday afternoon headache for someone. My best advice is to actually call those five firms and ask what they hate about their current software. Don't lead with your idea, just listen. The real money is always in the boring, daily grind stuff nobody wants to do.

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