Yesterday, I shared the first of ten concepts aspiring business owners often miss before they build:

Ideas are everywhere. Buildable ideas are not.

Today, let’s look at the second.

YOU ARE NOT THE CUSTOMER, EVEN IF THE IDEA STARTED WITH YOU.

Now, this one can be difficult.

Especially when the idea was born from your own experience.

Maybe you saw a problem because you lived through it.

Maybe you created a better process because you were frustrated with the old one.

Maybe you developed a product because you could not find what you needed.

That can be the beginning of a powerful idea.

But here is the question:

Just because you needed it, does that mean your customer needs it the same way you did?

Your experience may have introduced you to the problem.

But your experience is not automatically market research.

You may describe the problem one way.

Your potential customer may use completely different words.

You may be excited about ten features.

They may only care about one result.

You may think they need more information.

They may need something simpler.

Faster.

More accessible.

Or easier to understand.

Have you asked them?

Sometimes, as builders, we become so close to the idea that we start answering questions no one has actually asked us.

We assume.

We create.

We build.

And then we wonder why people are not responding.

But you do not always have to guess when you can listen.

Talk to the people you believe you want to serve.

Ask what frustrates them.

Ask what they have already tried.

Ask what they wish existed.

Ask what is costing them time, money, or opportunity.

And then…

Listen.

Not so you can immediately sell them.

Not so you can convince them that your idea is right.

Listen to understand.

Pay attention to the words they use.

Sometimes the opportunity is hidden inside a sentence your potential customer keeps repeating.

Here is today’s Builder’s Question:

When was the last time you had a real conversation with someone you believe needs your idea?

Not a sales pitch.

Not a conversation designed to convince them.

A listening conversation.

Because you may have started with the idea.

But you are not necessarily the customer.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever built or created something you loved, only to realize your customer saw it differently?

I’d love to hear your perspective in the comments.

Check back tomorrow for Concept #3. And I will warn you now… it involves a pink couch. 😁

Until next time, stay blessed!

~Dr Olga Cerafima Gabrielle