How Early Customers Shape Better Startups
19days is a problem-first venture studio, but success requires much more than finding and validating a problem worth solving — we have to make sure that we build a solution that works the way our prospective customers need it to.
One of the most effective ways to do this is by working with design partners: early customers who let us into their businesses to observe how they work, how they use our solution, and how it is or isn’t impacting their operations/outcomes for the better. It’s worth noting that recruiting a design partner becomes much easier if we have found a very painful problem, and interest in design partnerships is another validation point for our chosen problem.
At 19days, we’ve seen firsthand how design partnerships can accelerate success. If managed properly these can be incredibly deep, mutually-beneficial relationships focused on fundamentally changing workflows for the better. Our latest venture, Psynth, is a perfect example.
What Are Design Partners?
A design partner is more than just a beta user — they are an engaged, strategic collaborator who gets early access to a product in exchange for insights that help shape its development. In return, they get to influence a solution tailored to their needs, often with the potential for long-term advantages like pricing incentives, custom features, or a competitive edge.
However, not all design partners are equal. There is a saying in venture that your first customer shapes you more than anything else in a startup. We want to be careful to choose design partners who are as close to our ICP as possible, while also being forward-thinking and open to innovation. Ideally we have a couple of partners who fit this target, while also working differently, so that we can be sure our solution isn’t working for just one potential customer.
Why Do They Matter?
There is no more thorough product testing method than a real user using it in its real application. Design partners offer this benefit, with the advantage of being able to talk to the user/customer for feedback while still building the experience.
- Faster Validation – Instead of guessing what the market needs, design partners provide real-world feedback before significant resources are spent on scaling.
- Stronger Product-Market Fit – A startup that builds with customers instead of for customers is far more likely to succeed.
- Early Credibility & Momentum – Having real users onboard early makes it easier to attract investors, advisors, and additional customers. Plus, you might get a raving fan, which can be extremely helpful when attracting your next early customers.
- Iterative Learning Without the Risk of a Full Launch – Design partners know that they’re getting advance access, and often delight in knowing that they're contributing to something that could drive significant change in the way their industry works.
Case Study: Psynth and the Value of Design Partners
Our venture Psynth is an AI-powered report generator for psychologists. It drastically reduces the time-consuming process of synthesizing test results and generating a custom report with a final diagnosis and recommendations.
We knew Psynth solved a critical pain point, but we wanted to get into the details of the workflow and final report to create a solution that goes past the obvious. That’s why securing two design partners—very different psychology practices—was a major milestone. Their feedback is already shaping core features, influencing user experience, and refining how AI-generated reports are structured.
By working closely with them, we’re not only building a better initial product and user experience, but we’re also discovering deeper opportunities around the initial opportunity to create value.
Finding the Right Design Partners
Not all early customers make great design partners. The ideal ones are:
- Deeply invested in solving the problem – They feel the pain point acutely and are eager for a solution. Bonus points if they were already looking for a solution, but couldn’t find it.
- Willing to provide candid and timely feedback – Sugar-coated input doesn’t help refine a product. You need brutally honest insights. Plus, they’ll need to be responsive, because, in startups, every moment matters.
- Decision-makers with budget influence – If they wouldn’t eventually pay for the product, they’re not the right fit.
Startups can find design partners by leveraging existing networks, tapping into industry communities, or with good old-fashioned cold outreach — this is how we found our second design partner for Psynth.
Just as we’ve said design partners are another validation point, on the flip side, if we really struggle to find/recruit design partners, this can be a sign that our solution isn’t something the market is desperate for.
The Investor’s Perspective
For investors, startups with strong design partner relationships represent lower risk and higher upside, as they’ll move from pre- to post-revenue much faster. Design partners are a strong indicator of future traction, not only because they show all the validation points, but also because the intent is that they start paying for the solution at a certain point in time.
If you’re far enough along that the product is usable and your design partners are showing consistent engagement with it, you’ll have some good evidence that you’re taking strong first steps toward product-market fit, too.
Final Thoughts
There's an old saying, "If you wait until you're not embarrassed to launch your product, you waited too long."
With design partners, startups can launch early and fast without being self-conscious; plus, this ensures when they hit the market broadly, the product will work for at least some of the customers, while they find the way to broader product/market fit. The notion of being embarrassed at launch is moot.
At our venture studio, we don’t just build ventures—we ensure they’re built right by embedding design partnerships into the process from day one. Psynth’s early success is a testament to that approach, and we can’t wait to see how our design partners continue to shape its future.
