Ideation and Market Understanding

Introduction

Every great product begins with a simple question:

“Why does this need to exist?”

Before a single line of code is written, before the architecture is drawn – there's always an idea rooted in curiosity, frustration, or inspiration.

For me, the spark came from observing how writers and creators use platforms like Substack, Beehiv, and Ghost to share their ideas, connect with audiences, and even build independent businesses.

I have always admired the simplicity of Substack – it makes publishing and monetization feel effortless. But as I looked closer, I began to see gaps that sparked my builder's instinct.

That's where the journey of building my own Substack-like platform began – not as a clone, but as a exploration:

What would a truly modular, creator-owned publishing platform look like if designed from scratch today?

The Purpose of This Module

In this first module, I am focusing on understanding the landscape – the market, the users, and the problem itself.

Because building without deep market understanding is like coding without reading the problem statement.

Here's what I aim to accomplish in this phase:

1. Validate the problem – Is there really a need for another publishing platform?
2. Understand the market – Who's already solving it, and how?
3. Define my niche – Which type of creators will benefit most from my platform?
4. Shape the vision – What's my core differentiation and philosophy?

By the end of this module, I should have a crystal-clear reason for why this product deserves to exist – who it's for.