You have an idea for an app or a product? You can instantly make it now with AI. With the rise of AI coding platforms like Replit, users are spinning up MVPs in just a few hours. There’s an insane number of products hitting the market. This whole movement is called Vibe Coding. According to Perplexity:
“Vibe coding is an AI-driven programming approach where developers describe their goals in natural language, relying on large language models (LLMs) to generate functional code. Coined by computer scientist Andrej Karpathy in February 2025, it shifts the programmer’s role from manual coding to guiding AI outputs, often accepting code without full comprehension.”
The challenge, as with any product, remains: finding paying customers. This is where 99% of projects fail—because they simply fail to create enough buzz or traction to grow a customer base. Andrea Bosoni, a well-known startup marketer, raised this legitimate question about whether any of these projects will actually be successful:
“I’d be really curious to see if there are products vibe-coded by non-technical people that actually have customers and make money. So far I’ve seen only internal tools and fun projects, but maybe it’s just too early and we’re not there yet.”
— Andrea Bosoni (@theandreboso) April 25, 2025
I’d be really curious to see if there are products vibe-coded by non-technical people that actually have customers and make money.
So far I’ve seen only internal tools and fun projects but maybe it’s just too early and we’re not there yet.
— Andrea Bosoni (@theandreboso) April 25, 2025
As the market gets flooded with new products and tools, one fact is clear: the barrier to product development is no longer the issue. The challenge remains distribution. There’s no doubt the internet will be bombarded not just with content, but with new tools and platforms.
Back in 2020, Elizabeth, a well-known Silicon Valley investor, wrote about why marketing is eating the world. Fast forward to 2025, and we see how distribution is the king for startups.
Here are some ways startups can get more distribution for their product:
1. Join Communities
The best thing you can do for your startup is to join communities. Get involved, contribute, and build relationships.
2. Build in Public
While the “build in public” movement has cooled down—starting with money screenshots and becoming a bit spammy—there’s still room for authentic storytelling. You don’t have to share everything as a founder, but sharing your updates and progress publicly can make a huge difference.
3. Focus on Building an Audience
This starts with having a clear philosophy about your product. You can’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Be that pistachio ice cream that people kill for. Start with one platform, one user profile, and just go for it.
4. Run Growth Experiments
Everything at a startup is an experiment. There’s no such thing as failure—only information. Dig deep and experiment the hell out of everything.
As you go about building your product, think about building your audience first. That is the modern way to build a startup, as I’ve written about in more detail before.
