You’ve been there. You send a message, expecting a quick reply, but silence stretches on. Your mind jumps to conclusions—maybe they’re busy, maybe they changed their mind, maybe you said something wrong. Suddenly, a simple unanswered message spirals into a full-blown story in your head. 

Or maybe you meet someone for the first time, and before they even speak, you’ve already formed an opinion. The way they dress, their expression, something familiar about them—it all triggers subconscious assumptions. You don’t mean to, but your brain fills in the blanks before you have the facts. 

This isn’t just human nature, it’s how we process the world. But when it comes to business, assumptions can be dangerous.  

And that’s when things start to go wrong. 

What if our biggest blind spot is what we think we know? 

It’s easy to assume you know what customers want, especially if you’ve personally experienced the problem you’re solving. But assumptions, no matter how well-intentioned, can lead to wasted time, resources, and missed opportunities. 

Here’s what happens when a product is built on guesswork rather than data: 

1. Development Costs Pile Up 

Building a product isn’t just about writing code. It involves design, testing, iteration, and marketing. A product that misses the mark doesn’t just waste the initial investment—it requires costly revisions or even a complete pivot. 

A simple MVP can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000. If the first version doesn’t resonate, rebuilding means spending even more. 

2. Time Slips Away 

Time is one of the most valuable assets for any founder. Every month spent developing the wrong product is a month that could have been used to refine a better solution. If it takes six months to realize your product isn’t working, you’ve already lost half a year’s worth of momentum. 

3. Customer Trust Is Hard to Rebuild 

When early adopters try a product that doesn’t meet their needs, they rarely give it a second chance. A weak first impression can make it harder to convince users to return, even after improvements. 

4. Investor Confidence Drops 

If a product launch underperforms, investors may hesitate to fund a pivot. They want to see traction, not rework. A strong validation process upfront can prevent this challenge and keep your growth on track. 

Making Better Decisions  

Seeing the Problem Through the Right Lens 

Anais Nin once said, “We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.” This couldn’t be more true in business. When founders assume they know what other’s want, they’re often seeing the problem through their own lens rather than other’s.  

Interest or Intent 

Just because someone says, "That sounds great!" doesn’t mean they’ll actually use—or pay for—it.  

Interest is passive whereas intent is active.  

Real intent shows up when customers pre-order, sign up, or pay before the product is built. Look for signs of intent, like people using workarounds or paying for alternatives. If users aren’t taking real action, it’s a red flag- better to find out now than after months of development. 

Success Begins with What You Choose to Learn 

Every great product starts with one simple truth. It’s not just about building something useful but understanding people better than they understand themselves. The products that succeed aren’t just well-executed. They come from seeing past assumptions and figuring out what truly drives people to take action. 

What if, instead of spending months building in the dark, you could launch a working MVP in just 30 days? No endless planning, no unnecessary features—just a real product in the hands of real users, so you can get real feedback. 

We help founders skip the guesswork and build something that actually matters. If you're ready to stop assuming and start validating, let’s make it happen.