be the system

andreas jonsson

01 Mar 2025 — 1 min read

There’s a tendency to build. You want something real before your eyes. And while that is valuable, getting there takes time. Even in a no-code, AI-assisted world.

So what can you do?

Be the system before building it.

By being the system, you learn what to actually build. You take in the data, create the output, feel the friction, and deal with all the problems yourself.

Say you want to build a marketplace matching people who need something with people who provide it. Most people start building right away. Standard stuff. Two sides of the platform, some matchmaking, search, a few filters.

Simple right? Maybe. Maybe not.

What you could do instead is find a person on one side, say someone with dirty windows. And on the other side, someone willing to wash them. Then broker that one deal. Make it happen.

When you do the unscalable, manual, tedious work of being the system, you learn things code can’t teach you. You learn about people’s hopes and fears. How they actually talk about their problems. What they really care about when evaluating solutions.

Being the system gives you an edge. If you’re lucky, and persistent, being the system gives you an insight. An insight that sets you and your solution apart. Because now you know. You truly know who you’re building for, what they need, and how all the pieces fit together.

You’re building with real empathy—because you’ve lived it.

meet your market

Meeting your market is the only way to validate. Does that scare you? Imagine how much scarier it’ll be 6 months down the line, building on pure assumptions. There is no substitute for the market. Sure, hypothesise, design, and plan. But the market is where real learning happens. Your

begin again

When you want to achieve something—anything—you’ve got to put in the work. Build a habit. Cultivate discipline. Work towards progress, not perfection. But the mind wanders. We get distracted. We forget what we set out to do. A minute goes by. An hour. Maybe a day. Or

do less

Trying to do more is a trap. In many ways, doing less is the path to achieving more. By focusing on the core principles of building a business, you cut out the noise, the shiny objects, the distractions, and focus your attention on evergreen activities like building, shipping, and selling.

stand for something

A strong point of view cuts through the noise and signals who you are. But most fear standing out. We seek safety in sameness, comfort in crowds. Yet what moves the world forward has always been the courage to stand apart. You can't please everyone, nor should you

Read more

meet your market

begin again

do less

stand for something