How NOT to Start a Tech Company (Part 2: Skipping the Research)

Here’s one thing I’ve learned the hard way:

Everyone is an expert in something—but that doesn’t mean your idea is automatically new.

In my case, I spent over 30 years in healthcare. I knew the pain points inside and out. I saw the gaps in real-time. So when I came up with a tech solution, I was confident it was needed.

And it was.
But here’s what I didn’t do soon enough:

❌ I didn’t research if someone else had already solved it.
❌ I didn’t analyze the competitive landscape.
❌ I didn’t talk to other users to validate how my version would be different—or better.

It’s a common founder mistake: assuming you’re the first to think of it just because you’ve felt it deeply. But passion doesn’t replace product-market fit or strategic differentiation.

If you’re building something right now, here’s what I wish I did sooner:

 1. Google it. Ruthlessly.

Find out what’s out there. Dig deep—not just first-page results. Look at app stores, industry sites, and niche platforms.

 2. Make a competitor comparison chart.

What features do they offer? What do their reviews say? What do they lack that you uniquely understand?

 3. Talk to users who aren't your friends.

Real feedback, not flattery. Ask: “Would you pay for this?” and “What do you use now to solve this problem?”

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Bottom line:
Being an expert in your industry is powerful.
But if you skip the research, you risk building a brilliant product… that already exists.

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 I’m building fe.nurselynx.com—a platform born out of lived healthcare frustration. But now I’m building smarter—thanks to what I’ve learned (and unlearned) along the way. Find out more at linktr.ee/Nurselynx

Follow along in my series:
How NOT to Start a Tech Company
Next up: Part 3 – Building the Wrong MVP

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