To build an effective AI product, founders should first perform the service manually. This direct interaction reveals nuanced user needs, providing an essential blueprint for designing AI that successfully replaces the human process and avoids building a tool that misses the mark.
To launch a product in a market with social stigma, first identify a "wedge" demographic that is uniquely open to the solution. For Real Roots, this was young women, who are historical early adopters of mental health tools. Success with this group normalizes the behavior, allowing it to spread to broader markets.
Investors often reject ideas in markets where previous companies failed, a bias they call "scar tissue." This creates an opportunity for founders who can identify a key change—like new AI technology or shifting consumer behavior—that makes a previously impossible idea now viable.
Even startups with traction and pre-seed funding find Y Combinator transformative. YC partners provide unparalleled, stage-specific feedback that founders can't easily get elsewhere, making the 7% equity cost worthwhile for companies well beyond the idea stage.
Non-technical founders can attract technical co-founders by first building a manual, non-scalable version of their product. This creates a user base of passionate early adopters who are mission-aligned. The ideal co-founder is often among these first users, as they have already demonstrated belief in the solution.
A powerful, low-cost way to validate demand is to cold message thousands of potential users on platforms like Facebook groups. Crucially, ask for a small payment upfront (e.g., $20). This filters out polite but non-committal interest, providing a strong signal of genuine need and willingness to pay.
When an idea is met with a "wall of skepticism" from investors, it can be a positive sign of a good, non-obvious market. If every VC immediately validates your idea, it's likely too obvious and crowded. Proving early skeptics wrong with traction is a powerful path to building a defensible business.