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Burak Buyukdemir

Is Your Product a Vitamin or a Painkiller?


The fastest way to fail is to build something nobody really needs.

A painkiller product solves a burning problem: customers say “I need this now”, pull out their credit card, and ask “How soon can we start?” Decisions happen fast. Teams align quickly. Value is obvious.

A vitamin product sounds interesting but isn’t urgent. Customers say “maybe later”, ask for more meetings, or need convincing. They already have a way to get by. You end up explaining why they need it—because the pain isn’t real.

If your solution requires long explanations, it’s probably a vitamin.

Great startups don’t sell vitamins. They fix pain.

Build something so necessary that not having it hurts. Customers should feel relief, not curiosity.

If you’re solving real pain, growth follows.

I recently started using Kit and couldn't be more excited

Burak Buyukdemir

Entrepreneur, VC, and storyteller. I invest in early-stage startups worldwide, share candid lessons from 20+ years in tech, and spotlight founders shaping the future. Join 100,000+ readers each week.

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