- Initial product thesis based on deep industry experience failed to resonate.
- Customer feedback revealed skepticism and resistance to change, not enthusiasm.
- A shift from validating assumptions to truly discovering emotional pain points.
- Leveraging 'First Principle' thinking to identify and address root causes.
In the competitive world of cybersecurity startups, identifying and solving genuine customer pain is paramount. Nir Loya Dahan, Co-founder and CPO of Fig, shares a compelling journey of how his team, despite years of industry expertise, had to fundamentally rethink their approach to product discovery. Their experience offers invaluable lessons for any product manager struggling to move beyond symptoms and uncover the true emotional drivers of customer needs.
Fig's initial venture into security operations was built on a strong foundation of co-founders' extensive experience. They were confident in their understanding of the market and the problems faced by security professionals. However, when their proposed solution met with lukewarm 'okay' responses and suspicious questions from potential customers, it became clear something was amiss. Customers expressed reluctance to 'move their cheese,' indicating a deeper resistance to change rather than an embrace of a perceived solution.
The turning point came with the realization that they were engaging in 'validation' rather than true 'discovery.' Instead of seeking genuine insights, they were inadvertently guiding customers to confirm their existing biases. This led to a crucial recalibration: a deep dive back into recorded conversations, not to find answers, but to identify emotional signals like giggles, silences, or off-script comments. Dahan likens this to a 'shark smelling blood from miles away,' emphasizing the need to hone in on these subtle cues of discomfort and pain.
By adopting a 'First Principle' approach, akin to Elon Musk's philosophy of forgetting all assumptions, Fig was able to challenge what they previously considered 'hard facts of life.' They discovered that many perceived inevitabilities were, in fact, solvable root causes. This led to crafting a single, powerful question designed to elicit strong emotional responses, which, when asked, generated the coveted 'wow' moment and genuine interest from customers who felt truly understood.
This journey culminated in a profound distinction between 'value' and 'pain.' Dahan illustrates this with the 'massage chair' analogy: a $15,000 massage chair offers value, but only becomes a must-have if it solves the excruciating pain of a slipped disc. Products that address deep, emotional pain points, rather than just adding features or incremental value, are the ones that truly resonate and drive adoption. For product managers, the lesson is clear: embrace emotions, question everything, and relentlessly pursue the root cause of customer suffering.
“אנחנו אומרים שאנחנו עושים דיסקאברי, אבל תכלס אנחנו עושים ולידציה למה אנחנו חושבים.”
- Nir Loya Dahan, Co-Founder and CPO of Fig
