How to Succeed in Web3 Business on Solana—7 Practical Techniques Learned from 500 Rejections

While deeply realizing the importance of cryptographic testing, I have challenged three infrastructure projects over the past four years. During this process, I faced over 500 rejections in fundraising, and finally realized the simple truth: “Complex technology ≠ Market needs.”

Lessons Learned from Failures: What Truly Matters

In the past, I was obsessed with cutting-edge technologies like ZK (Zero-Knowledge Proofs) and account abstraction. I passionately explained use cases such as “zkML,” “zkVoting,” and “zkAuthentication” to VCs, but the reality—these are still rarely used.

The biggest mistake was mistaking difficult technology for a “practical product.” For two years, I believed that infrastructure building was the only successful route for crypto asset businesses, but I completely lost my direction.

The Different Market Principles Seen in the Solana Ecosystem

Seven months into developing consumer applications on Solana in 2025. The atmosphere here is vastly different. Even meme coin popularity is driven by tangible profitability. This is an ecosystem that asks “Does it work?” and “Is it profitable?”

Below are the seven principles for building consumer Web3 products verified through field experience.

1. Focus target on “young users willing to try”

86% of Generation Z (ages 11–26) prioritize technology in their daily lives (Consumer Technology Association 2024 survey). They own more devices and underestimate the trial costs of new products.

In contrast, users over 25 do not adopt new workflows without strong incentives. Additionally, since social activity peaks at ages 20–21, designing for youth naturally enhances viral potential.

2. If reducing marketing budget, the product itself must be a “propagation mechanism”

In early startup stages without large advertising budgets, the product must serve as a traffic channel. Especially in the crypto industry:

• KOL marketing is extremely costly
• Trust levels are very low
• Incentive expectations are rampant

Embedding reasons why users want to voluntarily share with friends and communities enables organic spread without spending funds. It’s worth optimizing from day one.

3. Respond to user requests within a few hours

When a user messages, “I will switch to another product because this feature is missing,” I realized a strategic mistake. Once users switch to competitors and habits form, re-engagement becomes nearly impossible.

Fix bugs and “issues that hinder usage” within 2–5 hours. If multiple users request the same feature, implement it within 2–3 days and explicitly say, “This was realized thanks to your feedback.” Offering rewards can also be effective. This process fosters a sense of ownership among users and is incredibly powerful in the early stages.

4. Application names must be “simple enough to share verbally”

My previous product “Encifher” was painfully hard to remember, and even investors and partners misspelled it. Later, I renamed it to “encrypt.trade”—short, memorable, and sleek.

Names are a critical asset influencing recognition and propagation. Avoid complex neologisms.

5. Consistent dialogue with the user community is essential

During privacy-related product development, I contacted 1,000 people via Cold-DM. The response rate was only 1%, with only 3–4 genuine collaborators. However, this small elite became the core of product iteration.

Framework to improve Cold-DM effectiveness:

• Start with a warm greeting
• Highlight (funding status, transaction volume, etc.) at the beginning
• Clearly state where you found the recipient
• Set a friendly Call-to-Action
• Follow up continuously

Since the crypto community is rife with scams, low reply rates to DMs are normal. The goal at this stage is not 1,000 users but to find 10–20 early adopters who are aware of the issues and provide honest feedback. They will form a strong support base to overcome the many bugs in the early phase.

6. Study the “way of talking” and “behavior” of the market

The crypto industry is constantly changing, and distraction is the norm. Observe not only what users say but also their actual behavior patterns:

• What actions do they repeat?
• What compromises are they making?
• What are they already willing to pay for?

The last point is crucial. Even a great idea will not survive if users are not willing to pay money.

7. UI must be “simple enough for anyone to feel value in 5 seconds”

Developers spend hundreds of hours facing screens, so what seems obvious to them can look like an entirely different language to beginners.

• Avoid new terminology and complex processes
• Minimize the number of clicks
• Present the core value proposition within 5 seconds of app launch

These may seem niche, but they are areas that can be improved through consumer crypto testing.

Conclusion: “Iteration speed and user-centric thinking” determine the outcome more than technology

Building consumer Web3 applications depends more on rapid iteration, user-centric approach, and marketing sense than on perfect tech stacks. On a fundamentally different game board from B2B, in the Solana ecosystem, the “user’s perspective” is everything.