← Back to Full Guide | Next: Module 2: How to Build It →
MODULE 1: HOW TO DECIDE WHAT TO BUILD
Most founders pick the wrong idea. Not because they're not smart. Because they skip validation.
Every successful builder we talked to had 3+ years of direct experience in their niche. Zero had less than one year. Domain expertise beats technical skill 10:1.
The 5-Question Filter
1. What niche do I understand deeply?
Not "I read about it online." Actually understand it.
You work in the industry. You've experienced the problem for years. You know the jargon without thinking.
Every successful builder we talked to had 3+ years of direct experience in their niche. Zero had less than one year. Domain expertise beats technical skill 10:1.
2. What problem do people in this niche complain about constantly?
Not "would be nice to have." Actually painful.
Does it cost time? Does it cost money? Does it prevent making money?
If it doesn't pass at least one test, people won't pay for a solution.
3. Who do I already have access to in this niche?
Can you name 10 people who'd beta test this?
Do you have coworkers in this space? Are you in communities where these people hang out?
If you can't immediately name 10 people to beta test with, you don't have distribution yet.
4. What's my unfair advantage?
Not "I'm smart" or "I work hard." Everyone works hard.
What specific edge do you have?
- I know all the buyers in this industry personally
- I have 10k+ followers in this niche
- I worked this job for 5+ years
- I run a community of these people
- I have insider access others don't
5. Why hasn't someone already built this?
Good answers: It's a narrow niche. You need industry knowledge to get it right. The technical barrier just dropped.
Bad answers: "Nobody's thought of it" (probably wrong). "Big companies don't care" (they might, and they have more resources).
The Validation Checklist
Before you build anything, check these boxes:
- Problem is expensive. Does this problem cost people time, money, or revenue?
- Current solutions are bad. Are existing tools too complex, too expensive, incomplete, or non-existent?
- You can reach 100 potential customers. Can you list 100 names right now?
- Market will pay $X/month. What do similar tools charge?
- Consumer apps: $5-20/month
- Professional tools: $20-100/month
- B2B SaaS: $50-500/month
- You can build it without custom code.
- ✅ Works great for: CRUD apps, AI-powered tools, mobile apps with standard features, web dashboards, e-commerce, payments, auth
- ❌ Struggles with: Real-time multiplayer, video processing, complex algorithms, hardware integration
What NOT to Build
"Uber for X"
Requires supply and demand (chicken-and-egg problem). Network effects take years. Heavy operational complexity.
If you need 100+ suppliers and 100+ customers in the same geography to make it work, it's not a vibe coding business.
"It's like X but better"
Incumbents have distribution. "Better" often means "incrementally better." Users don't switch for 10% better.
The only exception: You're 10x better on one dimension that matters to a specific niche.
Not "Better Notion." But "Notion for medical students" works.
Pro Tips
Figure out monetization now
If you can't articulate why someone would pay $X/month right now, you don't have a business idea yet.
Don't worry about going viral
Viral isn't a strategy, it's an outcome.
- Can't predict viral
- Viral traffic converts poorly
- One-time spike doesn't equal sustainable business
We launched on Product Hunt and got 3.2M views. That's amazing. But it didn't make the business.
The business was built through community marketing and paid ads after Product Hunt gave us credibility.
What's Next?
✅ Validated your idea? → Module 2: How to Build It →
Still figuring out your niche? Take a week. Talk to 10 people who have the problem. Ask what they currently use. Ask what's missing. Ask if they'd pay for something better.
📌 Other modules in this series:
