Why you are your product’s most important user

Photo credit: Rob Hampson

The best business ideas usually come from a personal need.

Take Peter Rahal, the CEO and co-founder of RXBar, for example. As an avid gym-goer, Rahal wanted a protein bar that didn’t taste like chalk or contain mysterious ingredients.

Despite some serious competition from established brands, Rahal knew there was room for his protein bar. He tested his theory by selling the first bars door-to-door. Five years later, the Kellogg Company bought RXBar for US$600 million.

Part 1:  Build for yourself and satisfy an eager niche

I’m one of many, many founders who started by scratching their own itch. It’s one of the main criteria for building a successful business.

In fact, Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham says the best startup ideas have three things in common: they’re something the founders themselves want, the founders can build with their own skills, and that few others realize are worth doing.

Once you’ve drawn on your own experiences (and met the need), the next step is ensuring that other people are hungry for your product or service.

According to Graham, “When a startup launches, there have to be at least some users who really need what they’re making — not just people who could see themselves using it one day, but [those] who want it urgently.”

Who wants this right now?

That’s the question you need to answer .

Basecamp founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson agree. In their bestselling book, Rework, they say, “The easiest, most straightforward way to create a great product or service is to make something you want to use.”

This way, you’ll create something you need (or at least understand the need for) and you’ll also know immediately if your product is any good.

This personal testing phase might seem obvious, but it’s infinitely more productive when you’re not only the creator, but also the customer.

As Fried and Heinemeier Hansson explain:

Part 2:  Using your own product is a game-changer

Final words