97% of healthtech founders waste their time
in building for 8-12 months…without knowing if anyone will actually pay.
Then they launch.
And no one shows up.No revenue. No usage.
Just silence.
It’s the most expensive mistake I see founders make.In 2018 - I lost $150K and 18 months doing the same.
A few months back, I worked with a teambuilding an AI call service for dementia patients -tracking health, mood and breathing.
They were ready to spend $100K.On building the product
So I asked:
“What pain are you solving?”“What outcome does customer want?”“Can we deliver that - without the product?”
Here’s what they did:
▶️ Step 1: Deliver the outcome manually
They hired 2 interns.
Called patients daily.
Logged every interaction. No tech. Just trust.
▶️ Step 2: Solve for 10 users
Used a basic audio tool.
Assessed tone and breathing manually.
Emailed weekly summaries to patient and families.
▶️ Step 3: Ask for a small commitment
Offered the service for $15/month.
37 families said yes. Got paid
No app. No dashboards.No investors.
Just clear demand - and real money in the bank.
And now?They're building - not their first idea but what customers actually want.
That's how you reduce risk - especially in healthtech.
My advice: Never start with code.Start with something simple to solve the problem.And get paid for it.
That's real proof.
If you want to get to your paying customers fast
DM me “FIRST 10”and I'll help you map out the fastest way to get there.
Something investors will love to see.
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