How my failed startups taught me to build an audience first (and launch FutureStack)

Before FutureStack, I spent time building digital products that ultimately didn't succeed. Those experiences taught me a harsh but valuable lesson: you have to build the audience first.

I pivoted to content creation and grew an Instagram page called 'FutureStack,' which was dedicated strictly to reviewing and sharing the newest AI tools. As the page gained traction, I ran into a massive friction point: my followers constantly flooded my comments and DMs asking for the direct links to the tools I was talking about.

When I looked at the existing AI directories on the market to send them to, I realized they were entirely broken. They were static, uncurated link-dumps that ranked software based on who paid the most for sponsorships, rather than what was actually useful.

I decided to fix it myself. Out of nowhere, I built the FutureStack website specifically to give my Instagram audience a centralized, trustworthy place to access the tools I was reviewing. It started as a simple, organic solution to share links with my followers, but it quickly evolved into a larger mission: building a community-driven marketplace where AI tools are validated by real professionals, not just marketing budgets.