Finding Real Problems Worth Solving
The Science of Customer Development
If you’re building a product, launching a startup, or even thinking about solving a problem, let me save you a ton of time: Your idea isn’t what matters. What matters is whether people actually need it.
I, and a lot of first-time founders—and even some experienced ones—get caught up in the excitement of our ideas. We spend months (or years) perfecting a product, only to realise that nobody wants it. That’s painful. It’s also avoidable. In this series, I’m going to share with you, a playbook that was taught to me during my startup’s acceleration in the Founder Institute. It should get you through your customer development activities.
Stop Guessing—Start Talking to Your Customers
Instead of guessing, hoping, or assuming, you talk to real people. You listen. You figure out what they actually struggle with, how they’re solving it now, and whether your solution is compelling enough to make them switch. Customer Development isn’t about selling—it’s about learning. It’s a structured way to validate (or invalidate) your assumptions before you pour resources into building something nobody wants.
The Four Stages of Customer Development
Building a business isn’t just about having a great idea—it’s about proving that idea solves a real problem for real people. Steve Blank, the guy who basically wrote the playbook on this, breaks it down into four key stages. Think of it as a step-by-step guide to making sure you’re building something people actually want.
Customer Discovery – Identifying real customer needs and pain points. If this is where you’re at, then dive in here.
Customer Validation – Testing if customers will actually pay for the solution. The playbook for this is here.
Customer Creation – Building demand and market traction.
Company Building – Scaling based on validated learnings.
Each of these steps is a collection of playbooks designed to get you out of the blocks, and you can follow their individual links to dive right in.
Myths & Mistakes of Customer Development
While you’re here, let’s cover some of the common myths and mistakes we often make. Customer Development sounds simple: talk to people, figure out their problems, build something they want. But in reality, most of us get it wrong—not because we’re lazy, but because we fall into common traps.
Myth #1: “I already know what my customers want.”
Reality: No, you don’t. Even if you are your own target audience, you are just one person. What works for you may not work for others.
We often assume we understand the problem because we've experienced it ourselves. But customers often have unexpected motivations, priorities, and constraints that we won’t uncover unless we talk to them.
Myth #2: “Surveys and data are enough.”
Reality: Surveys are helpful, but they don’t tell you the full story. They give you broad trends, but they don’t reveal the emotions, behaviours, and decision-making processes behind customer actions.
Imagine this: If Henry Ford had asked people what they wanted, they’d have said “faster horses.” Prioritise real conversations over surveys. You’re looking for stories, frustrations, and workarounds—not just multiple-choice answers.
Myth #3: “If people say they like my idea, I’m onto something.”
Reality: People lie—especially when they want to be polite. Just because someone says they would “definitely use” your product doesn’t mean they actually will.
The real test? Behaviour, not words. Will they pre-order? Will they switch from their current solution? Will they commit time or money?
Keep Listening, Keep Learning
Customer Development is not a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. Talking to customers isn’t just something you do before launching—it’s how you stay ahead, refine your product, and ensure long-term success.
You also don’t need to interview thousands of people to get meaningful insights. A few deep, well-structured conversations can reveal patterns that guide your decisions. And remember, the goal isn’t to get feedback on your product—it’s to deeply understand the problem before jumping to a solution.
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I’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop a comment below and let me know what resonated with you, what challenges you’re facing, or what topics you’d like me to cover subsequently. Want even more insider insights, real-time discussions, and exclusive content? Join our private community on X—connect with like-minded Product Managers, share experiences, and stay ahead of the game.
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