A Reminder to Solve Real Problems

Entry 006

2025-08-30

It sounds simple and cliché, but it’s crazy how many people skip this part. They get caught up in branding, logos, and marketing before the product even solves anything. The truth is, if what you’re building doesn’t make someone’s life easier, better, or more fun, it’s an uphill battle from day one.

Start With the Pain

Every great brand we’ve seen took off because it started with a real problem. Think about all the things you do in a day: brushing your teeth, driving to work, making dinner. We get used to our routines, but somewhere out there, someone is finding a way to do each of those things better, faster, simpler, easier. It doesn’t have to be revolutionary, it just has to have a purpose.

You Can’t Fake It

We’ve seen brands try to build hype around average products, and it never lasts. You can pour money into ads and influencers, but if the product doesn’t genuinely help someone, the hype dies quickly.

The flip side? When you really nail the product, people can’t help but talk about it. They share it, review it, gift it, and build your brand for you. The marketing, paid media, email campaigns, and collaborators are just stoking the fire and growing the community you’ve built.

Build for Real People & Listen

If you’re starting a business, skip the “what’s trending” phase and focus on what people actually need. I can’t say it enough: listen to your customers. Watch how they use your product or service. Even if you only have friends giving you feedback, tell them to be brutally honest.

Find the frustration points and fix them constantly. Your customers are everything, and they will dictate the direction of your business.

Start Small with What You Have

The easiest way to get started is to think about what you enjoy doing and what you’re best at. Use your strengths and turn them into something people will pay for. It doesn’t need to be complicated, just a simple service that solves a real problem for someone else.

If you’re good with tools, start fixing things around your neighborhood. If you’re good at math, tutor a few students after school. If you’re organized, help local businesses with admin work. Real companies start small with one skill and one customer.

Some of the best companies purposely stay small to service their customers more intimately.

What problem are you going to solve first, and how will you do it?