Ask HN: Why do so many devs struggle with launching their own product?

[zigcBenx]

I’ve talked to dozens of developers who can build incredible things, but few know how to market, sell, or validate an idea.

Why is that? And what are the most helpful resources or habits that helped you make the jump from code to business?

I recently put together a site on this topic: https://fromcodetobusiness.benxlabs.com – it’s a lead magnet + waitlist for a deeper guide. But first, I want to learn more from the community.

What advice would you give your past self before launching your first product?

[anovikov]

Because products almost always fail regardless of whether they were tried by devs or non-devs. I think in reality, a lot more devs tried it than those who'd admit it - i tried too, and failed - several times. But more importantly, i did custom coding for 100+ startups and they all failed. Over 90% without ever getting the thing out of the door - just by realising that the idea was lunatic halfway through the process, or by running out of money, or by switching to the next shiny object, and the remaining by ending up with zero (literally not a single sale or even a single free user, ever), or extremely little demand. No one ever even repaid back development costs, and the only two who came somewhat close, were spam apps launched on jvzoo.com - a vehicle for aggressive spam marketing where "JVs" push useless nothing mostly to grandmas and children.

It's a struggle because it is meant to be a struggle and i think actual success rate (as in, "made more money than a full time job would make in the same time") are so exceedingly rare, you can do it all your life and will never even meet a person who made it. Basically a myth.

Selection bias makes us perceive the startup thing as a lot more realistic than it is, just because those who failed in their overwhelming majority never speak out, out of shame.

[re-thc]

> but few know how to market, sell, or validate an idea.

How is this dev specific? You make it as though there's a very special correlation between devs and not being able to sell.

IF everyone knew how to market and sell they'd all be doing it. Marketing is a skill. Selling is a skill. Now you also want dev as a skill? Then the intersection will of course be lower.

[ArinaS]

> but few know how to market, sell, or validate an idea.

I think you answered your own question.

[ArinaS]

> Why is that?

Because a developer isn't a marketer?

[xenospn]

Did the first program you ever tried coding work perfectly? Did you even get it to compile without trying and failing at least 10 times?

Marketing is a skill. But you won’t get good at it unless you try and fail many, many times.