You had a vision.
You hired a dev.
They built exactly what you asked for.
And now you’ve got a shiny app… with zero users.
Classic.
Here’s the trap:
Freelancers get paid to deliver code, not to care if it converts.
Their job is to ship.
Your job is to make it work.
But here’s the rub - most first-time founders don’t know what “working” looks like yet.
So they outsource execution before they’ve validated demand.
And that’s how you end up with a perfect product… that nobody wants.
Because your dev didn’t build for traction.
They built your speculation.
Your guess.
And now you’re broke, bitter, and blaming them.
But they did their job.
That’s the problem.
You don’t need a builder.
You need a co-conspirator.
Someone who pushes back, rewrites the brief, and argues for what the market actually wants.
Someone who only wins when users win.
Better yet?
Ditch code altogether.
Start with a no-code stack.
Hack it with Airtable and Zapier.
Charge money with Stripe links.
Test the demand, not the dream.
The goal isn’t to launch an app.
It’s to prove something people care enough to click.
Build for traction. Not just completion.