Prospects often describe wants (e.g., "a more efficient system"), which are not true problems. Asking about the motivation behind their desire forces them to articulate the underlying pain that actually drives a purchase decision.

Many founders assume that identifying a customer's "pain point" signals a business opportunity. However, most people tolerate countless pain points without acting. True demand comes from an unavoidable, active project for which they are seeking a solution, not just a passive problem.

Customers use the same words and grammar as you, but the meanings are often different. This creates a dangerous illusion of understanding, leading you to build the wrong product. You must actively translate their language, which is a mix of demand, supply, and noise.

Most problems customers describe are "pain points" they won't act on. You can't distinguish these from real, actionable demand ("pull") through interviews alone. The only true test is presenting a viable solution and attempting to sell it. Their reaction—whether they try to pull it from you—is the only reliable signal.

Customers request specific features (supply), but this masks the true demand—the underlying problem they're trying to solve. Focusing on the 'why' behind the request leads to simpler, more effective solutions, like building a digest email instead of a complex 'advanced settings' page.

When customers talk, trust their articulation of what they're trying to accomplish (demand) and why their current tools fail (supply problems). However, completely disregard their suggestions for what product or feature you should build (supply they want). That is your job to design, not theirs.

Directly asking customers for solutions yields generic answers your competitors also hear. The goal is to uncover their underlying problems, which is your job to solve, not theirs to articulate. This approach leads to unique insights and avoids creating 'me-too' products.

Buyers often volunteer the exact details of their problem—their project, its urgency, and their frustration with current options. However, traditional sales training teaches founders to ignore these cues, interrupt the customer, and pivot to pitching their solution, thereby missing critical information.

Customers often suggest solutions (e.g., "add this feature") based on their limited understanding of what's possible. A founder's job is to look past the specific request and identify the core problem or desired outcome. Building exactly what the customer asks for verbatim is a mistake; solving their underlying goal is the key.