Early Traction Is Not Product-Market Fit

Early users can be exciting, but they’re not always a sign you’ve found product-market fit. One of the most common Go-To-Market missteps for founders is mistaking polite interest or pilot programs for true, repeatable value. At the Elevate Ventures Go-To-Market Summit, several speakers tackled this head-on, offering a reality check and roadmap for founders chasing real traction.

Jeanette Renshaw of GrowthX gave the audience a gut-check question: “Would they be mad if you took it away?” If the answer is no, your product may be useful — but not essential. Real product-market fit, she argued, shows up when customers can’t live without you. That kind of pull isn’t created through clever outreach — it’s built through clear ICP focus and value that feels mission-critical.

Wade Breitzke of WeCreate+ highlighted a common trap: founder bias. “We build what we love,” he said. But founders aren’t always the buyer. Aesthetic choices, feature priorities, and even your brand story can drift into self-referential territory. The antidote? Centering your Go-To-Market story in your customer’s real pain, not your own preferences.

Ian Illig of Stompbox wrapped the conversation with a practical reminder: real problems get budgeted. If your prospects say “this is cool,” but can’t commit dollars or time, you’re likely not solving something painful enough. Ian encouraged founders to ask tough questions early and look for urgency signals, not just compliments.

As you evaluate your Go-To-Market traction, ask:

• Are people asking for access or just accepting a trial?

• Would they fight to keep using it?

• Are budgets being created or reallocated to make room?

• Is your message shaped by buyer needs, or founder intuition?