October 30, 2025

Welcome Back,

Hi there

Good morning! In today’s issue, we’ll dig into the all of the latest moves and highlight what they mean for you right now. Along the way, you’ll find insights you can put to work immediately

— Ryan Rincon, Founder at The Wealth Wagon Inc.

Today’s Post

Designing for Customer Needs, Not Assumptions

There’s a harsh truth every founder eventually learns:
👉 You are not your customer.

What you think people want and what they actually need are often two totally different things. Yet countless startups are built on founder assumptions instead of real user insight — and that’s why so many fail.

If you want to build something that sticks, you have to design around customer needs, not your guesses.

Let’s talk about how to do that — step by step — so your startup solves real problems and builds products people actually care about.

1. Start With Curiosity, Not Confidence

Most founders start from excitement: “I have this awesome idea!”
But great founders start with curiosity: “Why do people struggle with this problem?”

Instead of jumping to solutions, start by listening.
Here’s a simple 3-step rule:

1. Observe – Watch how people behave, not just what they say.

2. Ask open-ended questions – “Tell me about the last time you tried to solve this.”

3. Dig deeper – When someone says, “It’s annoying,” ask why — three times.

The goal isn’t to prove your idea right — it’s to uncover real pain points.

Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.” — Marty Cagan, Product Management Expert

2. Validate Before You Build

Your product idea might sound genius, but without validation, it’s a gamble.
Validation means proving that people actually want what you’re making before you spend months building it.

Here are a few low-cost ways to validate your idea:

• Landing page test: Create a simple page describing your product and see if people sign up.

• Customer interviews: Talk to at least 10–15 potential users. Listen more than you pitch.

• Prototype feedback: Use tools like Figma or Canva to mock up a simple version and get reactions.

• Pre-sales or waitlists: See if anyone will commit early — even a small “yes” means a lot.

If people show interest, engage, or offer to pay — that’s validation. If not, good news: you just saved yourself months of wasted time.

3. Build Around Real Use Cases

Once you know the problem, design your product to fit into your customer’s life — not the other way around.

A few helpful tips:

• Map the user journey. Where does your product show up in their daily routine?

• Focus on one key job-to-be-done. What’s the single most important task your product helps with?

• Prioritize simplicity. Your MVP (minimum viable product) should do one thing really well.

Think of how Calendly started — not as a scheduling empire, but simply as an easier way to book meetings.
One clear use case. One killer feature. Massive adoption.

4. Listen to the Right Data

After launch, the temptation is to rely on metrics like downloads or traffic — but those are vanity metrics.

Instead, track data that tells a story about user value and behavior:

• Activation rate: How many users complete your main action?

• Retention: How many come back a week or month later?

• Engagement: How often and deeply do they use it?

• Feedback patterns: What do users praise or complain about most?

Combine quantitative (numbers) and qualitative (comments) data. Together, they paint the real picture.

Pro tip: Create a customer feedback loop — a system for collecting, analyzing, and acting on user input regularly. The faster you respond to users, the faster your product improves.

5. Iterate, Don’t Assume

Even with research and validation, you’ll still be wrong sometimes — and that’s okay.

The best startups stay flexible. They test, learn, and iterate continuously.
Here’s how:

1. Launch small experiments.

2. Measure the results.

3. Double down on what works.

4. Drop what doesn’t — fast.

This is how companies like Notion, Figma, and Airtable grew — by shipping quickly, listening deeply, and adjusting constantly.

“Iteration beats perfection every time.” — Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn Founder

6. Keep Talking to Your Users (Forever)

Even after you find traction, never stop talking to your customers.
Markets shift. Behaviors change. New competitors appear.

Make customer conversations a habit — not just a phase.

• Join community spaces or online groups your users hang out in.

• Run surveys or polls once a quarter.

• Have your team listen in on support calls or read user emails.

When you stay close to your users, you’ll see trends before they become problems — and opportunities before others notice.

Final Thought

Your customers are your roadmap. Every great product is built on insight, not instinct.

So next time you feel confident about your next feature or startup idea, stop and ask:

“Did a real user actually ask for this, or did I?”

Because the truth is, building for customer needs isn’t just smart — it’s how you turn good startups into great companies.

Build with empathy. Listen with curiosity.
And you’ll never have to guess what your market wants — they’ll tell you. 💡

That’s All For Today

I hope you enjoyed today’s issue of The Wealth Wagon. If you have any questions regarding today’s issue or future issues feel free to reply to this email and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Come back tomorrow for another great post. I hope to see you. 🤙

— Ryan Rincon, CEO and Founder at The Wealth Wagon Inc.

^_Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and reflects the opinions of its editors and contributors. The content provided, including but not limited to real estate tips, stock market insights, business marketing strategies, and startup advice, is shared for general guidance and does not constitute financial, investment, real estate, legal, or business advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information provided. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investment, real estate, and business decisions involve inherent risks, and readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals before taking any action. This newsletter does not establish a fiduciary, advisory, or professional relationship between the publishers and readers.