How building a product changed you?

Question

In my case, building my startup Selftalk - an app for self-therapy, transformed my character big time.
1. I became much more grounded, and connected to reality.
2. I discovered so many things about myself, good and bad, which significantly deepened my self-awareness.
3. I’ve developed immense respect and compassion for fellow entrepreneurs, creators, and doers. It’s easy to critique from the sidelines, but it’s an entirely different experience to be in the arena, facing the challenges head-on.

Vio Vanica · Accepted Answer

I think I changed a lot while building our startup, I became more confident; I started to pay attention more on what my needs are (cause before I was more focused on others' needs); I started to prioritize better in my life either that this is a meeting or a person from my life.

Ataei · Answer

Changed my mindset for sure!

Mike Luu · Answer

Building a product and grow it force me to look into different aspects rather than just technical details. I think I learn more about marketing, design, and networking while trying to develop a complete product.

Elena Oprea · Answer

@m_i_k great point! 
I recently wrote an article touching this subject called system thinking:

"System thinking is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than isolated elements, and for recognizing patterns of change rather than static snapshots."

It's not just about one element anymore.

We have the product, users, partners, processes, and more.

Now, it’s about how seamlessly these elements work together.

StephanieWilliams · Answer

Building a product taught me so much. I used to be really impatient, but now I understand that good things take time. You learn to deal with failures and keep trying. It also made me better at talking to people and understanding what they need. Totally changed how I see problems and solutions.

Denis Cojemeachin · Answer

Hey Elena! For me building a product transformed me as a designer. It made me realize that design isn’t just a skill—it’s a responsibility. I learned to deeply understand users, balance different constraints, and think beyond aesthetics to create solutions that truly make an impact. It pushed me to be more strategic, collaborative, and empathetic in every decision.

Sonu Goswami · Answer

I’m juggling multiple tasks and diving into things I’ve never done before, all while learning on my own without the traditional structure of a university or class. It’s a different experience, but it’s been exciting to take on new challenges and pick up new skills along the way.

Ataei · Answer

@elena_opreag I think the most prominent example is when I realized I don't necessarily need to depend on my daily job, as I can make a lot more by building products. I never thought about it until I started building.

Elena Oprea · Answer

@ataei_builder I am curious how, would you share some examples?

Prashant Lakhlani · Answer

Building a product forced me to learn sales, marketing, and so many other skills related to this.

Yarik Skov · Answer

I became more patient and resilient and stopped fearing failure.
It changed me in ways I didn’t expect but yeah, I’d do it all over again.

Elena Oprea · Answer

@den_coj This idea will stay with me "think beyond aesthetics to create solutions that truly make an impact"

Constance Tong · Answer

A product is not never something built once and over, it's a whole process of learning and iteration.

Nha Hyerin · Answer

Building a product has taught me to be more empathetic, adaptable, and resilient. It required balancing creativity with practicality, learning from failures, and continuously improving based on user feedback.

Ryan Sorensen · Answer

What really got me thinking is diving into the code, the structure of my own mind and body was reflecting so hard.  It still is as we're still building!  Now get to think about the communities in my body (the microbiomes) that I get to become intimate with as we prepare for launching and beyond.

It's truly a deep dive building a startup, isn't it?

How building a product changed you?

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