The crucial people to get your product started for the first 6 months are not who will be using it 3 years later.
Emmett ShearYou want to learn about what's already in their heads. You want to avoid putting things there.
Emmett ShearI wish I could tell you the recipe for figuring out who the target user is for your product and who your users should be, but... there isn't a recipe. It comes down to think really hard and use your judgement to figure out who you're really building this for.
Emmett ShearThis is true for most new products. The majority of people you're competing with are non-users. They are people who have never used your service before. And what they say is actually the most important. What they say is the thing that blocks you from expanding the size of your market with your features.
Emmett Shear