Start With Problems

Start With Problems: Overview

Starting with the problem keeps founders from building polished solutions that users do not care about.

The Trap of Exciting Technology

Many founders start with a technology they love and then hunt for a way to use it. Jared Friedman calls this a Solution in Search of a Problem (SISP).

This approach is dangerous. It often leads you to build a polished product that nobody actually needs.

While the technology might be impressive, it does not guarantee that users will care enough to change their behavior.

Spotting a Made-Up Problem

A common mistake is asking what you can apply AI to. This forces you to invent a problem that sounds plausible but lacks real urgency.

Founders often assume that exciting tech compensates for weak user demand. This is a misconception.

If you start with the solution, you might find a superficial problem. However, you will likely miss the deep pain points that drive adoption.

Defining High-Quality Problems

A high-quality startup idea begins with a problem that is both specific and tractable.

Avoid broad, abstract issues like global poverty. While these are important, they are often too large for a small startup to attack effectively.

Instead, look for a concrete pain point. A good problem is one you can observe in the real world and solve with a focused product.

The Problem-First Workflow

To build a successful startup, you must reverse your thinking. Observe a real painful need before choosing a technology.

Verify that the pain is specific. Only then should you decide if AI or another tool is the right way to fix it.

Falling in love with the problem ensures you build something people want. This sequence keeps you from wasting time on solutions that do not matter.

Putting It All Together

A founder asks, “What can we apply AI to?” before identifying a painful user need. Is this a Solution in Search of a Problem (SISP)?

• Yes
• No

Answer: Yes

Yes. A SISP begins with a favored technology and searches for a problem afterward, which can produce weak or made-up demand.

Which existing startup idea best follows a problem-first approach?

• An AI wrapper for pet grooming, created before speaking with groomers
• A virtual-reality platform looking for any entertaining use
• A tool that reduces invoicing mistakes for independent bakery owners
• A platform designed to solve global poverty through many unrelated features

Answer: A tool that reduces invoicing mistakes for independent bakery owners

The bakery invoicing idea starts with a specific user pain and identifies a group that experiences it. The other ideas begin with exciting technology or address an overly broad issue.

“Reduce global poverty” is a stronger startup starting problem than “reduce invoice errors for independent bakery owners.”

• True
• False

Answer: False

No. Global poverty is important but broad and abstract. Invoice errors for a specific user group are more specific and tractable for a focused startup.