> Yup, that's a first mistake, no?
No. The anti-pattern here is
"Build something you think other people would want because you would like it."
transforming into ->
"Build something you think other people would want because you would like them to like it."
(there's a subtle change)
In three or four startups I've been associated with, this was going on. In psychology it's 'projection', and I think many young entrepreneurs fall into it.
Indeed it's a common problem in digital technologies - the development of a feature by one group of people, who've become convinced another group want it, so push it against all evidence and market behaviour.
Innovators can get enchanted by their own idea, and really want to be "creatively validated" by what they see as an "audience". This has gotten worse as software startups took on the characteristics of a "new pop music" business.
Or, (with existing semi-succesful companies) they get mixed up in unconscious ulterior motives for wanting people to adopt an idea (such as displacing another product/paradigm they dislike, or effecting some kind of control over users (DRM etc).
That's also how it worked for my product I'm very successful with (I built it for myself).
If you try to think what other people would use and build a product around that you will most likely fail.
If it turns out not to be an untapped niche though, or not a good one... ugh. ;)
Yup, that's a first mistake, no? Shouldn't one build projects for others? It's a fine distinction, but getting that first customer is so important (or so I've heard).