Ask HN: How to avoid the build trap but also avoid doing nothing
I have a couple project ideas that I am working on.
1) Is a clear enterprise customer product and I know who to speak to get further validation before I build.
2) A product which will have enterprise customers but the entry point is either consulting or getting developers and hackers to try it out. Think like Vercel/Posthog kind of user base split.
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So for idea 1 I think I know what to do, I can build an MVP/MVO fairly easily. I am in the process of courting potential users and validating the idea, reception has been positive so far! My worry is when should I actually build it? When do I know enough and have determined enough interest to actually bother to build it and not waste my time?
For idea 2, the problem is kind of the opposite, theres no real obvious customer that I can approach, at least from a beach head standpoint. Instead I would have to make a mini demo of some kind and then post it online on a forum like HN.
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Essentially how do you guys judge when to build and how much to build to get the first customer? Both when you know the customer (definable customer) and don't (engineers in general).