If You Build It, They Won't Come

If You Build It, They Won't Come

For a long time, I fooled myself, without knowing it, or giving much thought to it, or wanting to believe it: "If you build it, they'll come!"

Hell no. Nope. Never. Not a chance. None.

Building a great product is necessary but not sufficient. Distribution, timing, messaging, and luck all matter just as much—sometimes more. The world is full of brilliant products that nobody knows about.

The myth of "build it and they will come" is one of the most damaging lies in entrepreneurship. It leads people to spend years perfecting a product that nobody asked for, in a market that doesn't care, with no plan to reach anyone.

Reality: if you build it, you still have to tell people. You have to show them why it matters. You have to find them where they are, not wait for them to find you.