Chapter 1 of 9 · 5 checks · 3 min
Choose and validate the product
The best first product solves a problem you know well for people you can reach. Validate demand before you spend months building.
Pick a product that solves a problem you have solved yourselfMust
Why it matters and how to check
Products built from your own experience are easier to make well and easier to explain. If you have set up authentication, billing and emails in five Next.js projects, a starter kit that does it in one command is credible. If you have never shipped a mobile app, a Flutter course is a hard sell.
Write one sentence: "This helps [who] to [do what] without [pain]." Check that you have personally felt that pain and that you can name at least a handful of real people who have it too.
Do
- Start from work you have done several times
- Write the who, what and pain sentence before building
Avoid
- Products in areas where you have no hands-on experience
Validate demand with a waitlist, pre-sale or small version firstMust
Why it matters and how to check
Interest is cheap; payment is the real signal. Before building the full product, test demand: publish a landing page with a clear description and an email sign-up, offer a discounted pre-sale with a clear delivery date, or sell a small first version.
Decide in advance what result would make you continue, such as a set number of sign-ups or pre-sales in a month. If you take pre-orders, deliver on time or refund promptly. Check your validation by asking: did strangers, not friends, sign up or pay?
Do
- Set a target number of sign-ups or pre-sales before you start
- Refund pre-orders promptly if you cancel
Avoid
- Building for months before anyone has seen the idea
Ship a small, complete first versionShould
Why it matters and how to check
A small product that fully solves one problem beats a large one that half-solves many. A focused template, a short e-book or a single plugin can be finished in weeks, start earning and teach you what buyers want next.
List the features and cut everything a buyer would not miss in version one. Check that the first version works end to end: a buyer can purchase, download, install or read, and get the promised result without contacting you.
Do
- Cut the feature list to what solves the core problem
Avoid
- Waiting to launch until every possible feature is done
Choose a format that fits the problem and your strengthsShould
Why it matters and how to check
Common developer products and what they demand from you: code templates and starter kits need clean code, documentation and updates when dependencies change. E-books and guides need clear writing and editing. Video courses need recording, editing and more support. Plugins and paid libraries need licence keys, compatibility testing and ongoing maintenance.
Pick the format whose ongoing work you are willing to do for at least a year. Check by writing down the monthly maintenance each format would need and comparing it with your available time.
Do
- Estimate the ongoing maintenance before choosing a format
Avoid
- Choosing video only because it seems to sell better if you dislike recording
Confirm you own or may resell everything in the productMust
Why it matters and how to check
You can only sell what you have the right to sell. Check every part: code written for an employer or client may belong to them under your contract; icons, fonts, images and UI kits have their own licences that may forbid resale; and open source dependencies have licences with conditions you must follow.
Keep a simple list of every third-party asset and its licence. Replace anything you cannot resell. If you plan to reuse code from work, read your employment or client contract first.
Do
- List every third-party asset with its licence
- Read your employment contract before reusing work code
Avoid
- Bundling paid fonts, icons or UI kits you are not allowed to redistribute