I watched $80K, 3 years go to waste and no one said anything
A few years ago, I was working at this software agency. On paper, we looked amazing. Projects shipped on time, clients were happy, money was good.
But I had this nagging feeling that something was wrong.
One of our clients let's call him Mark had been with us for 3 years. Spent $80,000 building his dream product. Guy was so excited about launch day.
It launched... and died within months.
No one used it. The few who tried it left immediately. Mark was crushed.
I kept thinking: Why didn't anyone speak up?
See, everyone was so focused on keeping Mark happy that we forgot about the actual users. When Mark had a bad idea, we just nodded and built it. When he wanted to add another feature, we said, "Sure!"
No one had the guts to say, "Hey Mark, maybe we should test this with real people first?"
That failure ate at me.
Even though I was "just the designer," I started going through old feedback sessions, re-reading docs, and rewatching calls.
And it hit me: This thing was doomed from day one.
We never really talked to users. We rushed through the research. We built what Mark thought people wanted, not what they actually needed.
The worst part? Mark's problem was actually solvable. AI tools were just starting to blow up, and they could've handled 80% of what he was trying to build.
But no one mentioned it. We all just wanted to ship and get paid.
That's when I realized something had to change.
Look, I've been designing products for 10+ years. I've run discovery calls, user interviews, the whole thing. And I keep seeing the same pattern:
Founders with great ideas → agencies that say "yes" to everything → products that nobody uses → everyone loses except the agency
So I started putting together this process that actually works:
- Talk to real users before building anything
- Challenge assumptions (even the uncomfortable ones)
- Test ideas quickly
- Build only what's been validated
- Give founders a clear roadmap and a working prototype
Basically, all the stuff that should've happened with Mark.
I've tested this with a few founders already, and honestly? It's been eye-opening. One guy was about to spend $50K on a web app when users actually wanted a mobile experience. Another was targeting the wrong market entirely.
Small discoveries that saved them months of work.
So I decided to change that.
After years of running design sprints and discovery calls, I built something to help founders get it right from the start. No more "build and pray."
Here's what you actually get:
A validated product roadmap (not just features you think sound cool), A working prototype you can click through and test User story maps that make sense to developers Wireframes that solve real problems Clear information architecture and data flows A tech stack chosen for your specific needs Vetted AI tools and integrations that actually work.
This isn't just consulting , it's everything you need before writing a single line of code.
I've seen this save founders $10K-$50K+ in wasted development, unclear requirements, and painful pivots that could've been avoided with one good conversation.
I built this for people like Mark and for the ones who won't get a second chance.
I created a productized service that helps founders do it right from the start.
🚀 What You Walk Away With:
✅ Structured User Story Map
✅ Low- and high-fidelity wireframes
✅ A clickable prototype built in Figma or Loveable
✅ Information architecture and data flow diagrams
✅ A defined tech stack (no more guesswork)
✅ A vetted list of 3rd-party tools & AI integrations you can actually use
If you're building something and want clarity before committing to code, drop me a message or book a call here
ttps://cal.com/faisal-iqbal-f1bwiw/30min
