Developer Spent 4 Months and 89 Rejections Validating an Idea Before Writing Any Code

A software developer shared how three years of building unfinished projects with zero users led him to rethink his approach to product development. Instead of coding first, he spent four months conducting in-person interviews at around 50 veterinary clinics to understand real customer pain points before writing a single line of code. He discovered that most clinics had already devised their own workarounds, meaning there was little demand for an outside solution. Despite reaching a promising lead and formally pitching a paid proposal, he ultimately closed the vertical after 11 sprints, no paying customers, and 89 rejections. He concluded that failing early through conversation is far cheaper than spending months building a product nobody wants.