After seeing a report that 54% of 8,817 indie startups made exactly $0 in 2026, I wanted to find out whether anyone would pay before spending a week polishing the product. The revenue question belongs early in the build.
why did product polish suddenly feel less urgent?
I spent an afternoon thinking about product polish, then saw a report that 54% of 8,817 indie startups made exactly $0 in 2026.
That was hard to ignore. It changed what I wanted to learn next: whether anyone would pay.
when should I ask whether someone will pay?
Before I spend the week making the product prettier, I want to find out whether anyone will pay for it.
The revenue question belongs early in the build.
When should I test whether people will pay for a product?
Early in the build. I want to answer that question before spending a week polishing the product.
Why ask about revenue before polishing a product?
A report that 54% of 8,817 indie startups made exactly $0 in 2026 made the revenue question hard to ignore.