Part 5 of 19 in Make Your Users Heroes: An Indian Founder’s Guide← Part 4Part 6 →
Your product is not the dream. It’s a cog in the bigger Indian dream machine. Most founders obsessively polish the cog while ignoring the machine. Here’s the truth: the market doesn’t care about your shiny new KYC layer, AI note-taker, or scheduling SaaS. They care about what those tools enable. Your job is to articulate the larger context your product serves. Fail at this, and you’re just another forgettable feature in the startup graveyard.
Understand the Bigger Picture
Identify the Real User Goal
Let’s get this straight — no one wakes up wanting to be great at your tool. They want a better life or work outcome. Consider OfBusiness. They aren’t just a B2B platform; they’re enablers for SMEs to get raw materials at better prices, ensuring production never stops due to lack of resources. They tapped into the real need — keeping businesses running smoothly.
Name the Context, Not the Tool
Complete this sentence: People do not want to be great at [our tool]. They want to be great at [the life or work the tool serves]. Zerodha is not about trading interfaces; it’s about empowering people to invest without fear. Meesho isn’t about catalogues; it’s about empowering homepreneurs who were already selling on WhatsApp.
Most founders describe the subset as if it were the dream. You’re not selling a tool; you’re selling what the tool makes possible.
Redefine Your Product Strategy
Filter Features Through the Dream Lens
Once you have the larger context, it becomes easier to prioritize features. If your photography app user cannot hold a camera steady, debating export presets is pointless. Build what directly contributes to the dream first.
Know Who You’re Not For
Defining the dream means defining your audience. Groww and Zerodha serve different types of investors because they have different dreams. Don’t pretend to serve everyone; it’s a surefire way to serve no one well. Use your understanding of the context to filter who you’re building for and who you’re not.
Align Your Messaging with Reality
Avoid the Patriotism Trap
Don’t confuse user goals with slogans like ‘Digital India’ or ‘Financial Inclusion’. These are policy umbrellas, not individual dreams. Your messaging should focus on concrete, selfish goals. A parent wanting to pay school fees without borrowing is more compelling than ‘financial literacy’.
Communicate the Context
Users should know within seconds of landing on your homepage what larger context you serve. If your landing page screams features but whispers benefits, you’ve already lost half your audience. Make sure the dream is front and center.
The Bottom Line
Your product is a means to an end, not the end itself. Shift your focus from feature obsession to context obsession. It changes not just what you build but how you talk about it and who you build it for. Understand the larger dream, and you’ll not only build a better product but also a better company.
FAQs
Why is focusing on the larger context important?
Focusing on the larger context ensures you build meaningful features and communicate effectively with your audience. It helps prioritize what truly adds value and filters out distractions.
How can I identify the larger context for my product?
Start by completing the sentence: People do not want to be great at [our tool]. They want to be great at [the life or work the tool serves]. This will clarify the real user goal.
Can focusing on the larger context help in fundraising?
Absolutely. Investors are more likely to back a vision that aligns with a significant user goal. It shows you have a clear understanding of your market and aren’t just another feature set.
What if my product serves multiple user goals?
Define and prioritize the primary goal. Trying to serve multiple goals often leads to diluted focus and mediocrity. Choose a primary context and excel in it.
For founders who want guidance on defining and executing their larger context, reach out to Malpani Ventures for mentorship and investment opportunities.