This is a learning log for a new venture to help small businesses leverage AI. We came up with an idea for an app, but people thought it was confusing. So it’s back to doing customer interviews.

When we started working on Daisychain – an AI workflow editor – we thought it made sense to start making useful content to get SEO traffic.

We’re still learning about the space, so creating content was a good way to understand the space.

More importantly, we’re still building the MVP, so focusing on content would mean we start seeing trying by the time we have a usable version of the app.

This all makes sense, but…

I watched one of Y Combinator’s lovely new videos, and it reminded me of how important it is for founders to handle sales when starting something new.

For one, it forces the founders to zero in on a specific market, identify early adopters, and validate their core value proposition.

Only a founder has the ability to change markets and refine the value proposition. Thsi kind of feedback only comes from understanding customers, their problems, and their willingness to pay.

Doing sales also lets you find the right price point once you’ve found fit, by slowly increasing the price until customers complain but still pay.

Persuasive web copy, an effective marketing funnel, and building a sales team can only happen once a founder figures out what they are selling to whom.