The Importance of the Origin Story: How I Became the First User and Co-Founder at the Same Time

Superheroes and startups are both shaped by their origin stories. These stories are the soul of the business they define, the ‘why’ behind every ‘what’.

My origin story at Lancr (www.lancr.co) is two-fold. Besides being a co-founder, I was also the first user of our product. Here’s how that unique perspective shaped both me and our company.

A Business Born Out of Necessity
Like many entrepreneurs, my journey began with a problem that needed solving. I was working in a remote team as a freelancer.

I was overwhelmed and struggling with the inefficiencies of the platform we previously used. After trying few other similarly inefficient and slow options, my employer at that time, Qayyum , suggested we should try to create it. That’s how Lancr was born - not as ‘just another startup’, but as a real business born out of necessity.

Wearing Two Hats
Being both the first user and the co-founder put me in a unique position. I was not just building a product; I was building a solution for myself. This dual role came with its own set of challenges and advantages:

• Empathy for the User: I understand our users because I am one of them. I knew the pain points intimately and could advocate for features and improvements that addressed these issues directly.

• Immediate Feedback Loop: As the first user, the feedback loop was instant. I could test, iterate, and improve the product in real-time based on my own experiences.

• Personal Investment: This wasn’t just a business; it was a solution to my own problem. That personal connection fueled my passion and drive in a way that few other things could.

The Power of a Personal Story

As we grew, I realized that our origin story was more than just my own journey; it was a powerful tool for connecting with our users and our team:

• Building Trust: Sharing our origin story helped to humanize Lancr. It showed our users that we understood their problems on a deep level because we had lived them ourselves.

• Inspiring the Team: Our story became a source of inspiration for our team. It reminded us why we were doing what we were doing and helped to foster a culture of empathy and user-centricity.

• Marketing and PR: Our unique origin story became a central part of our brand narrative. It was a story that stood out, that people remembered, and that journalists wanted to write about.

What We Learned?
Being both the first user and a co-founder taught me invaluable lessons:

• Stay Close to the User: Even as we grew, I made it a point to stay close to our users, to listen to their feedback and to continue to use our product myself.

• The Importance of Storytelling: I learned that our story was one of our most valuable assets. It was a tool for connecting, inspiring, and selling.

Every startup has an origin story, but not every founder gets to be the first user of their product. In my case, this dual role shaped Lancr in profound ways. It kept us focused on the user, it fueled our passion, and it became a central part of our brand. As we continue to grow, I am reminded every day of where we started, and why that story matters. We are not ‘just another startup’; we are a testament to the power of real entrepreneurship and business.