You don’t need permission to start
You’ve had that idea for a while. Maybe it hit you during a Zoom call. Maybe it’s been sitting in your Notion folder titled “Someday.”
It solves a real problem. You know the space.
But… you’re still waiting.
Waiting for a cofounder.
Waiting to learn to code.
Waiting for funding, clarity, or some mythical “perfect time.”
Let me tell you the truth: no one is going to give you permission to build.
You either start now — or stay stuck in idea purgatory.
The myth of “ready”
In my 20+ years building tech products, I’ve worked with some of the best minds across consulting, product strategy, and digital transformation.
But the biggest leap I ever took was going from leading product for others… to building my own thing — GrowOnDigital.
I had no full-time team. No seed money. No viral launch.
Just a clear problem, a laptop, and a commitment to build a solution — fast.
Here’s what I learned:
“Ready” is an illusion. Building momentum is a decision.
What’s stopping most first-time founders?
Let’s call it what it is:
Fear disguised as logic.
You tell yourself you’re “validating,” but it’s been 6 months and you’re still refining your pitch deck.
You think you need a tech cofounder, but you haven’t even outlined the workflow.
You spend hours watching AI tools but haven’t shipped a landing page.
And the worst part?
Someone else will launch your idea — badly — and still win.
Because they shipped, while you sat on a “perfect” version that never existed.
The MVP test: Solve one problem, fast
“What’s the simplest thing I can build that makes someone say: I need this?”
That’s your MVP.
Not a dashboard.
Not a roadmap.
Not a pitch deck.
An actual solution to an actual pain, delivered fast.
Here’s what works:
- No-code tools like Webflow, Softr, and Glide to get a UI out in days
- AI tools like ChatGPT + Make.com to automate manual work
- Figma prototypes or Loom walkthroughs to test user interest
- Hiring devs on Upwork with clear specs and limited scope
- Google Forms + Notion + Zapier to fake automation while testing the workflow
I built the early version of GrowOnDigital using a combo of no code tools, I depend on broken workflows but I am getting money for the problem I am solving.
It didn’t scale. But it worked. And it got people to pay. That was enough.
Stop chasing complexity. Start solving pain.
Founders love to overthink. Don’t.
Should I do B2B or B2C? Should I raise or bootstrap? Should I build with AI or Web2?
None of that matters if you’re not solving something people feel right now.
Your real job at the 0→1 stage?
- Identify one specific user.
- Pinpoint one painful friction in their life.
- Solve it in a way that makes them say “take my money.”
That’s it.
Everything else — investors, features, press — comes after.
A simple launch playbook (that actually works)
Here’s a dead-simple plan I’ve seen work again and again:
- Find 10 people in your target audience (LinkedIn, Reddit, Slack communities)
- Talk to them. Don’t pitch. Just ask about their workflow. Listen for frustration.
- Write down their exact words — your landing page writes itself.
- Build a tool or service that directly fixes the #1 friction.
- Offer a pilot in exchange for feedback, a testimonial, or even a small fee.
Congrats. You’re no longer dreaming. You’re building.
A word on imposter syndrome
If you’re wondering, “Who am I to build this?”
Flip the question.
Who are you not to build it?
You’ve lived the problem.
You’ve studied the space.
And you’re willing to do what 99% won’t — ship.
That’s enough.
TL;DR — Your first win is building something real.
Let’s recap:
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need funding.
You don’t need a 10-page pitch deck.
You need to solve a real problem.
For real people.
With real urgency.
And you need to start before you’re ready.
Let’s keep building.