Early customer conversations can be useful — but they’re often mistaken for validation. When anecdotes replace evidence, teams move faster with more confidence, not less risk. This post explains why that’s dangerous, how it quietly distorts early product decisions, and what “validation” actually has to do at this stage.
Early-stage teams often mistake motion for clarity. When a product thesis isn’t defensible, every downstream decision becomes noisier, slower, and more expensive than it needs to be.
The real job of a product manager isn't shipping features—it's detective work. Here's the first-principles thinking that cuts through noise and actually delivers results.
