7 Lessons Every Web3 Founder Must Know: Insights from 4 Years of Trial and Error

liquidation_surfer · 2026-01-19T08:03:11+00:00

The author discusses lessons learned from four years in Web3 startup, emphasizing that technical complexity does not guarantee product success. Key takeaways include targeting young users, making products marketing channels, valuing user feedback, and simplifying offerings.

liquidation_surfer

2026-01-19 08:03:11

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Four years of Web3 entrepreneurship, I spent thousands of hours on three failed infrastructure projects. And I realized something: The complexity of technology and the success of a product are not proportional.

In 2023, when account abstraction, ZK proofs, and Rollups were hot topics, I believed, like everyone else, that these technologies would change the world. But after investing two years and facing over 500 rejections, I learned: Amazing technology ≠ users

By 2025, I started building consumer products within the Solana ecosystem. I’m sharing what I’ve learned in seven months. This is the best advice I can give to early founders.

Lesson 1: Old user groups are not your initial target

Who adopts new products? Young users aged 13-26.

According to the 2024 Consumer Technology Association survey:

86% of Gen Z consider technology central to their lives
They enjoy trying new apps
They are less resistant to changing habits

On the other hand, users over 25 won’t try new apps without strong reasons. (Business targeting institutions is an exception)

Key takeaway? Your initial users should be young, curious, and open to new things. They become your best marketers through word-of-mouth.

Lesson 2: The product itself must be a marketing channel

No advertising budget? Your product must generate traffic.

This is especially true in crypto:

KOL marketing? Extremely expensive and low trust
All influencers expect rewards
Filled with DM spam

The solution is virality. Build your product so users want to share it with friends voluntarily. It spreads without spending money.

It’s difficult, but worth optimizing from day one.

Lesson 3: User feedback is not a waste of time but a survival strategy

When users said, “If this feature isn’t there, I’ll use another app,” I ignored it. The result?

They moved to competitors and never came back.

Now I changed the rules:

Bugs that hinder usage? Fix within 2-5 hours
Features requested by multiple users? Implement within 2-3 days
After implementation? Let them know, even small rewards help

The result? Users feel “This app was made for me.” This emotional attachment is the greatest asset of early products.

Lesson 4: App name is also a strategy

My previous product was called “Encifher.” Investors kept misspelling it. When someone created a group, they often misspelled the name.

Later, I changed it to encrypt.trade. Simple, memorable, and easy to say.

Your app name is your first impression. Choose a name that’s easy to share orally and immediately conveys meaning.

Lesson 5: Cold DMs are slow but essential

Finding new users is extremely difficult, especially when your product doesn’t align with current “trends” or narratives.

I sent nearly 1,000 cold DMs.

10 out of 100 replied
3-4 of those conversations were helpful

But those 10-20 initial users are everything. They become your bug reporters, feedback providers, and first promoters.

How to craft effective cold DMs:

Start with a sincere greeting
Present key achievements(funding, trading volume, etc.)
Explain where you found them
Clear, friendly call to action
Follow-up is essential

There’s no perfect DM. You must repeatedly test to find what works best with your target customers.

Lesson 6: Iterate quickly, watch actions, not just words

Crypto industry moves fast. Attention spans are short.

You must observe users’ actions while listening to their words:

What do they do repeatedly?
What workarounds do they use?
What are they willing to pay for?

Many good ideas exist. But if users don’t pay, it won’t survive.

Lesson 7: Drop complexity, choose clarity

You’ve looked at this product for hundreds of hours. It’s obvious to you. But to newcomers, it’s a completely unfamiliar world.

Rules for simplicity:

No new jargon or complex procedures
Minimize clicks
Core value must be shown within 5 seconds of entry

Good websites are “foolishly” simple. That’s the right approach.

Conclusion: It’s about users, not technology

Building consumer Web3 products is exciting and challenging.

But remember: Perfect technology > rapid iteration, user understanding, marketing savvy is not true.

Actually, it’s the opposite.

Rapid iteration, user-centric thinking, marketing skills > perfect technology

This is the biggest difference between B2B and consumer products.

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