So you’ve got a product idea.
Maybe it came from a personal frustration. Maybe you saw a gap in the market. Maybe you’ve been sitting on it for months wondering where to start. Whatever it is, that idea is worth exploring. But turning an idea into something real can feel like a black box.
I get it. I’ve been there with 8Well (coming soon!) and a handful of other projects. And the truth is you don’t need a fancy title technical skills or investors to build your first product. What you need is structure focus and the guts to take imperfect action.
Here’s how I think about building a product from an idea based on real lessons and mistakes.
You might be excited about the solution but the real question is: does the problem actually matter to people
The best products start with a clear pain point. Something people are already trying to solve whether through Google Sheets, Notion hacks or expensive workarounds.
Ask yourself:
With 8Well I saw people who wanted to eat better and feel healthier but were overwhelmed by overpriced apps or didn’t see themselves reflected in Western-centric nutrition advice. That gap was real and unmet.
Forget building out every feature from day one. Your job isn’t to launch a full solution. It’s to create a small version that solves a core part of the problem in a way that feels useful or even delightful.
Think of it as your Minimum Lovable Product:
You don’t need perfection. You need proof that people want what you’re building. You could start with Canva for a mockup and eventually Figma for hi-fi designs.
There are so many tools today that let you go from idea to prototype without code. I personally use Bubble because it gives me full flexibility and logic. But there’s also Glide, Webflow, Futterflow, and more depending on what you’re building.
The key is this: don’t let tech be a blocker. Build something functional even if it’s ugly. As long as people can test it and give feedback, that’s a win.
And if you’re planning to hire someone to build it for you keep the scope tight and your expectations clear. The simpler the build the faster you’ll get real feedback.
This part is uncomfortable but necessary. Your product will never feel “ready.” But early feedback is priceless.
Ways to launch quietly:
Don’t just ask “what do you think.” Watch how they use it. Where do they get stuck? What do they ignore? What surprises them? These insights are far more valuable than compliments.
You’re not looking for people to like your idea. You’re looking for signs that they want more of it:
This “pull” is your signal to double down. Until then keep iterating and talking to users. Stay focused on solving their problem, not building the perfect version of your idea.
Your idea doesn’t need to be original. It needs to be executed thoughtfully with a deep understanding of the user. You don’t need to build the next unicorn. You just need to start.
So if you’ve been sitting on an idea waiting for the perfect moment or a developer or more time, this is your sign to start messy. Build small. Learn fast. And surround yourself with others doing the same.
You’ve got this.