Distribution First: Find Your Channel Before You Build

The biggest mistake solo founders make is not building a bad product — it is building a good product with no clear path to customers. Distribution is not a post-launch problem. It is the first problem.

What distribution-first means

Before writing a line of code, know your answer to: "Where will the first 100 customers come from?" Not in theory — specifically. Which community, which channel, which person will send you your first 10 paying customers?

The channels worth betting on

• Communities you are already in — the most underrated distribution channel. If you are already a trusted member of a community that has your target customer, you can announce and get real feedback fast.
• SEO — slow to start but compounding. Best for products solving well-defined, searchable problems.
• Integrations — building on top of an existing platform (Shopify, Notion, Slack) gives you a built-in distribution channel through their app stores.
• Build in public — effective for accumulating an audience, but typically takes 6–12 months to convert to meaningful revenue.

The wrong approach

Building first and then trying every channel one by one is expensive and demoralizing. Each channel requires a different product framing, different landing page copy, and different time investment. Starting with the channel narrows the product — and narrow products win.