The most difficult thing in a startup is whatever your next big hurdle is.

Ultimately, yes, you need to build something people want - a lot.

But there are a series of hurdles along the way ranging from finding a co-founder/team, building the product, raising investment, acquiring users, monetization, etc.

I always used to think that future problems are good to have. It's true that they're good to have since it means you've crossed the previous hurdle. But they're just as difficult, if not more difficult, than prior hurdles.

This is why the mental model for startups is so important. You really do have to be relentless despite the numerous hurdles which will be placed in front of you.

Yes, you are correct. I wasn't clear in that I was talking about my current hurdle.

Why not start with making something you want? If you don't know what other people want, you know exactly what pains you and just fix that. Why not even stop thinking about starting a startup when you start solving your own problem? If your product solves your own problem, find your niches to see if it bugs them also.

Someone put it nicely - facebook is Mark's side project 6, probably? Of course not all startups start that way, if you don't know what others want, that is a good way to start and at worst it is a good way to sharpen your programming/non-programming skills.

Yeah, you are right. I do continue to make things I want; it's just that so far they are yet to turn into something I (or anyone else) has a burning need for. In other words, the idea turns out to have less steam when it becomes reality.

Thanks for the advice though.

then the question is whether there are really no others want the product as bad as you do, or just simply you have not found a superfan yet. I don't know which one is your situation, but I found it work to go to your niche group (say you are developing product for lisp, then you probably. want to go to lisp meetup). For my experience one or two superfan is enough to at least push your product to moderate userbase. Idk if it helps.

The value of the first follower & the next few ones is huge. The need to treat them as a partner. This 3 min vid makes the point clearly http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a...

We have got our first follower and working feverishly to give them value...

It does. Thanks.

The common wisdom is, "solve your own problems". If you scratch your own itch, you can get to a solution that others will appreciate, rather than attempting to have others describe where their itch is, and how you can scratch it.