Founders say “it’s too early to build.”
What they really mean is “I’m scared to commit.”
Early code isn’t about perfection.
It’s about pressure.
It forces decisions. It exposes gaps.
It clarifies the shape of the idea.
The real delay isn’t engineering.
It’s ambiguity.
If you can’t define:
— What the user does first
— What behaviour you need to prove
— What success looks like in one session
Then yeah, it’s too early.
But not for code — for conviction.
The best early-stage builds aren’t comprehensive.
They’re ruthless.
They validate a behaviour with just enough friction to prove it matters.
So stop waiting.
Stop spec’ing the “v1” dream.
Start cutting until only signal remains.
Then build that.
That’s not a product. That’s a test.
And that’s what gets you traction.