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Eight Months into My SAAS Startup: I'm Starting to Doubt 'Build in Public'
r/SaaS
7/4/2025
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No specific SaaS tools mentioned in the post | - | - | - |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Public communities attract non-paying users (competitors, developers, startup tourists)
- Feedback from public channels lacks real customer perspectives
- Difficulty reaching mainstream users vs. tech-savvy early adopters
- Algorithm bias pushes content to wrong audiences (e.g. AI enthusiasts)
Problems to Solve:
- Identifying genuine customer needs vs. early adopter curiosity
- Reaching time-constrained professionals who don't engage in startup communities
- Avoiding echo chambers of other founders/developers
- Validating product-market fit with actual paying customers
Potential Solutions:
- Focus on industry-specific forums and LinkedIn groups
- Conduct in-person user research (e.g. coffee shop interviews)
- Create use-case focused content instead of technical build updates
- Target platforms where actual users spend time (not startup communities)
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Focus on niche industry communities over general startup spaces
- Prioritize customer discovery through direct engagement
- Develop features based on paying customer needs vs. public feedback
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Target industry-specific platforms (LinkedIn groups, professional forums)
- Create content demonstrating real-world product usage
- Avoid over-reliance on Product Hunt/startup Twitter for mainstream products
Monetization & Product:
- Validate features with actual paying customers
- Avoid feature creep from non-customer suggestions
- Focus on solving core workflow improvements (e.g. 10% efficiency gains)
User Engagement:
- Build communities around product use cases rather than development process
- Share success stories from real users
- Engage in industry-specific discussions rather than startup meta-conversations