Well written. One interesting pattern in founders I've been thinking about recently is how early you encounter major blockers, and how that shapes your self worth.

Having a strong product and being unable to raise feels like shit, early users may validate you're solving a problem but it may not make sense to investors.

Having an early raise is a very positive signal, I can only imagine you're perceived trajectory coming out of that. Being unable to settle on a problem also sucks in a different way.

Regardless of what camp you're in I feel the take-away is you need to focus on reflecting inwards. Be better than you were yesterday, not better than someone's projections on LinkedIn.

The best business plans:

1. do not require secrecy

2. do not require external funding to enter a profit mode

3. do not quire some fancy specialized team labor skills

4. do not operate like they have a $10B market cap with financial and legal teams

5. produce products that are unique, have actual utility, and have perceived scarcity in the market

One often will keep more money with a smaller firm in a niche, than competing with irrational groups with practically unlimited hype investment capital. Most truly successful people I know do not hang out on social media goading competitors and cons. =3