There are two points of view for entrepreneurs – one is to ask people what they want and then build it the other is to build something of value and hope they come.
I think the build it and they will come is the better approach.
The ask approach works in the aggregate, if 1000 people are asking and they come back with an answer and they all build it, whoever has the better product will win. There are some caveats such as who gets there first, who can get in front of more people. The point is if the customer is dictating the problem then it will not be in alignment with your passion. It may be close but you may think of something slightly different. The other issue is that you were competing with all the other people that asked the same question.
The other issue is that the audience has the problem or the issue but has not found the solution so their solution may be different than what the actual solution is of someone who has gone through the issue to the other side. They may be looking for a better mousetrap but the solution is not a trap at all but something that attracts the mice somewhere else.
The better solution is to have life experience and solve a problem that you have gone through. Tim Ferris’s advice of scratching your own itch. The solutions you have found on your journey will resonate with people who are on their journey.
The solutions you come up with will be unique based on the journey that you are one. In this way, your customers will see your solution as customized to them because they are on a similar journey.
Also, the solutions will still be important in your life so you will naturally keep expanding on the solution so it gets better, or there is a related solution for the next part of your journey,
The “ask” way, is similar to asking what product to sell. 1000 people ask the question and the answer is fidget spinners so there are 1000 people selling fidget spinners and the first people get rich but then the market is saturated and you have to go find the next thing. There is so much luck involved.