Building SaaS is a trend now. AI has made it easier than ever to build software.
But building is not the real challenge.
A long time ago — even when I was studying software engineering, and even after I finished almost 25 years ago — one question was always in my mind:
- What kind of software should I build?
- Where do I get the idea from?
- What will people actually use?
Even a few years ago, I was still thinking about this.
To build a SaaS, you need an idea first. There are many steps involved in deciding whether an idea is worth developing. But I struggled even with the first step.
Now it has become natural for me to spot ideas and evaluate whether they are worth building.
I see the same struggle among many developers and founders. They want to build a SaaS. They want to have their own product — something real people use. They want fulfillment. And of course, they want income.
Recently, I spoke with an experienced developer who is building two SaaS products. While talking with him, I noticed several issues — things most successful founders would not do.
Mistake 1 — Choosing an Idea From Personal Belief
The idea came from his own perspective. He believed the tool would be useful. But he did not properly validate it.
Idea validation is essential.
You must confirm:
- Do other people have this problem?
- Are they actively looking for a solution?
- Is there a sizable market?
- Are people willing to pay?
Spending months on a product that no one will use is a loss of time, money, and opportunity cost.
When you build without validation, you are investing months of your life on hope. If there is no real demand, you lose time, focus, and momentum. That same time could have been used to build something people actually need.
Mistake 2 — Asking the Wrong People for Feedback
He asked other developers for feedback.
But developers were not his target users.
They did not experience the pain he was trying to solve.
Most technical peers will appreciate the idea. They may suggest improvements. But they are unlikely to give strong negative feedback. They also do not feel the urgency of the problem.
This creates a false sense of validation.
Instead, you must talk directly to potential users — people who face the problem and might pay for a solution.
Validation must come from pain and payment intent, not technical appreciation.
When building a business, you are making a strategic decision. It is not about emotional satisfaction. It is about choosing the right problem before writing a single line of code.
Mistake 3 — Marketing Without Strategy
He started marketing by posting in subreddits for developers.
But developers were not necessarily his target audience.
He should have identified at least 10–15 communities directly related to the problem he was solving. Communities where people actively discuss their pain. Communities where people are already looking for solutions.
Marketing is not random posting.
It is placing your solution in front of the right audience.
If the audience is wrong, even a good product will look weak.
Why These Mistakes Are Enough to Fail
These three mistakes alone are enough to fail a SaaS — even after 6–12 months of hard work:
- Idea chosen from personal belief
- Validation from the wrong people
- Marketing to the wrong audience
Each mistake reduces your probability of success. Together, they make failure very likely.
SaaS failure is often not about bad coding.
It is about weak strategic decisions at the beginning.
The Path I Recommend
Building SaaS is easier than ever.
If you are building — or planning to build — here is my recommendation.
From 25 years of working in the industry, and from actively studying SaaS success and failure stories, this is the path I suggest:
- Start with a validated idea.
- Ship your MVP in 2–3 weeks.
- Work on distribution in parallel.
- Be strategic from day one.
- If possible, work with someone senior and experienced.
- At any cost, avoid guesswork.
SaaS today is not limited by technology.
It is limited by judgment.
Choose carefully. Build intentionally.