Kat Jost

^{This is a transcript-turned-blog-article from a talk I gave in February 2025 for IE University alumni in Philadelphia.}

TL;DR I explore the transformative power of understanding the root problem before jumping to solutions, offering practical strategies for applying this mindset across startups, work projects, and even personal relationships.

The Dirty Word

In software development, we use the term ‘solutionize’ to describe prematurely designing or proposing a solution before fully understanding the problem. This often leads to solutions that fail to address actual needs. Essentially, it’s jumping to conclusions without sufficient analysis.

so·lu·tion·ize (verb)
/ sə-ˈlü-shə-ˌnīz /

To prematurely focus on or create solutions without fully understanding the problem

This term applies to much more than software development.

Real-world Examples

For Entrepreneurs

You had an app idea to drive traffic to small businesses, you hired developers to build it, expected the small business to pay you for it, but you didn’t get to know them well enough to understand their needs. They think it’s nice but don’t see the value in paying for it, and now you’ve built something that nobody really needs. I have seen this so. many. times.

For Working Professionals

Your manager said she wanted things to feel more organized and planned, so you furiously worked on creating a whole color-coded spreadsheet with details of everything you’ve been working on, but all she meant was she wanted to see you start putting agendas in your meeting invites…embarrassing.

For Partnered People

Your girlfriend said she doesn’t feel loved lately, and you brush it off because you’re like, “whatever, I say ‘I love you, too’ every time she says it,” but what she really meant was that her love language was quality time and you had your phone out on the last few dates together. And now she’s running off with someone else, and you don’t want that!

I know what you’re thinking—‘That sounds terrible! I don’t want to make those mistakes!’ You’re in luck because I’m going to tell you how to fix this.

Mastering the Art of Problem-Solving

There are 5 key steps. Pick a perspective to think about them through, such as the ones I mentioned above—entrepreneur, working professional, or partnered person.

Step 1: Ask direct questions and listen for pain points.

• Ask questions like:
  • “What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now with this?”
  • “Can you give me an example of when this issue came up?”
  • “How does this problem affect you (or your work) on a daily basis?”
  • “If you could wave a magic wand and solve this, what would the ideal solution look like?”* [INSERT GIANT ASTERISK HERE] – We’ll come back to this.
• Pay attention to the pain points they tell you, either directly or indirectly.
• Get to the root of the problem.
• If you’re an entrepreneur, repeat this practice with as many prospective customers as possible (100+).

Step 2: Confirm key takeaways.

• Interpret what you think the problem is from what they say are their pain points and desired solutions.
  • Challenge your own assumptions.
  • They may say “everything feels disorganized” but what they mean is that no one is getting their work done.
• Ask clarifying questions.
  • “Can you say more about that?“
  • “I heard or I noticed x, am I getting that right?”
  • “You said you wanted x, is that because…[specific challenge]?”
• Goal: Get agreement on the problem before moving to the solution.

Step 3: Solve for pain points

• Remember the GIANT ASTERISK (*) from Step 1? RESIST THE URGE to build exactly what they ask for.
• They may ask for an AI chatbot, but if all they want is to ask questions about your product/service, the simplest and most economical early version of a solution may be an FAQ section on the company website.

Step 4: Test your solution early and often

• Get the first version of your solution in front of your customer (or manager, or partner) ASAP & get feedback frequently.
• Don’t keep building what you think is needed – listen to your customers’ feedback and seek data (facts) to identify your next move.

Step 5: Iterate & adapt

• Your first solution is rarely perfect. Sorry if that was a bummer to read.
  • Keep gathering feedback.
  • Keep analyzing results.
  • Keep refining your approach.
• Be obsessed with your problem, not your solution, because your solution will likely need to change over time. Better yet, be obsessed with understanding your customer so you can continue solving their problems—whatever they may become.
• In other words: Don’t be clingy (to your original idea, that is). Be willing to pivot or adjust as necessary.

Final Tips & Takeaways

If I could say anything to you folks, I’d say:

• Entrepreneurs: Don’t build $h!t people don’t need!

• Professionals: Check your assumptions before launching a whole project.

• Partnered people: Ask for, listen to, & clarify pain points.

From startups to relationships, success begins with understanding what truly needs solving. Thanks for reading.

Are you an aspiring or current entrepreneur? If you’re unsure whether your product truly solves a problem, let’s talk.