The worst thing that can happen to someone creating a product is apathy; if nobody cares about what you've made, that's a failure. The second worst scenario is when everyone is satisfied, indicating there's nothing left to improve.

If you have a handful of happy customers but struggle to find new ones, it may indicate you're stuck at level one of product-market fit.

If your product isn't improving customers' lives, it may be time to step back and rethink your approach to create something that significantly benefits them.

If everyone thinks your idea is good, it often indicates that there are problems you're not seeing, and the competition is likely serious.

If you're a user of an existing product and find it unsatisfactory, you shouldn't be deterred by its market presence; your experience can lead to a better solution.

Signs of being stuck at level one include having customers who wouldn't be disappointed if your product disappeared or if the most important feature varies for each customer.

If you're not embarrassed by your product, you've waited too long to launch it.

When you're ready to ship your product, don't fall into the trap of perfecting it endlessly. Launch it to gather user feedback, as imitation is often cheaper than innovation.

If a company isn't willing to pay for your product, it indicates that you may need to tweak what you're building.