Build a brand before you build a product?

No.

Sorry but I disagree. Audience building should go hand in hand with product building.

Having a Logo and a Titled helped organize things and give some people something to look at that's not just words. Don't need to go overboard though.

Brand, audience, community, cult, name it whatever you want.

Do it, just do it. It's not gonna hurt.

I asked a question on IH yesterday about a product that I'm trying to shape,

*** crickets ***

Woke up to see not a single mouse hovered over the title. If I had a "brand" and five people around that brand. I'd be shipping that product instead of getting mad and disappointed in IHs for the past few hours.

I would say — Build an audience before you build a product.