... everyone, I'm Mona a marketer turned builder from Germany. Last summer, I conducted a survey among solopreneurs and small business owners. My goal was to understand their struggles when it comes to marketing. The results absolutely shocked me. 80% of those surveyed didn t know what their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) were or what to do with them. In other words, four out of five business owners are essentially flying blind when it comes to their marketing efforts ... ... designed to be your trusted partner, stripping away the complexity and showing you exactly what works, so you can make informed decisions. If you have questions about it, don't hesitate to ask. :) Comment from Yaoshen Luo(@lyshen): Hi, Mona

... There's a pattern I keep noticing across the AI products that actually stick with people vs. the ones that get tried once and forgotten. The forgettable ones try to be impressive. They show off what the model can do -- generate faster, automate more, produce output at scale. And they're genuinely cool for about 15 minutes. The ones that last? They help you see something about yourself you couldn't see before. I've been thinking about this ... ... understanding is what remains. For anyone building in this space -- what's your experience? Are you designing your AI to produce things, or to reveal things? I'd love to hear how others are thinking about this. Comment from Mona

... over time, or still replying on the app regularly? Comment from Alper Tayfur(@alpertayfurr): Strong thesis. AI that prepares people for real conversations feels far more durable than AI that tries to replace them. Comment from Tijo Gaucher(@tijogaucher): @monatruong_murror  I appreciate this, following you guys closely now! Comment from Tijo Gaucher(@tijogaucher): This framing really resonates "more capable vs

... started asking users "did this do something useful for your business this week?" instead of looking at logins. The answers were humbling but way more useful for roadmap decisions. Comment from Gaurav Singh(@gaurav_singh91): Really appreciate this framing, Mona. We're seeing the exact same tension in marketing automation. I'm building AI marketing agents for solo founders (ad-vertly) and the temptation is to optimize for volume: more posts published, more ads running, more campaigns active. But that ... ... completely changes which channels you prioritize and what content you create. Your NPS jump from 34 to 61 after removing features is such a powerful signal. Less noise, more signal. Applies to both product and marketing. Comment from Mona

... months, our most requested feature at Murror was a chat function. Users wanted to talk to the AI the way they talk to a friend. It seemed obvious. Every competitor had it. Every feedback form mentioned it. So we built it. And within two weeks, our core metrics started dropping. Session length went down. Return rate went down. The thing users said they wanted was actively making the product worse. Here is what we discovered when we dug into ... ... what the solution should look like. That gap between the expressed need and the right solution is where product intuition lives. Has anyone else experienced this? Built something users demanded only to find it hurt the product? Comment from Mona

... meant. The first is cheap and fast. The second is slow and uncomfortable. Almost every team defaults to the first because it feels like learning without requiring you to sit with someone who doesn't love what you built. Mona's experience is a good illustration. The analytics said "opens once, never returns." That's a signal, not an explanation. The explanation required five hours of real conversation. The reframe isn't "slow down." It's: choose the right learning ... ... ship? The goal is to understand if the value meets the need. And sometimes to understand the core need. Following features and what users ask is a pitfall in my view. Comment from Muhammed Gazali Ye ilmen(@mgy_programmer): @monatruong

... user's language. You need to market the benefits for users in their language. TL;DR: you need to be very simple in saying what users will have from the product. Comment from Nika(@busmark_w_nika): @monatruong_murror  yeah, nobody cares (besides techies) what stack you used. Just tell users the benefits they will get :D Comment from Mona

... cycle is faster - usually 1-2 weeks for updates. Biggest challenge is doing everything alone: dev, marketing, support. But seeing users love the product makes it worth it! Good luck with your relaunch! Comment from Viktoriia (@virtualviki): @monatruong_murror  I run the code through multiple AI models and ask each one for a deep audit - security issues, edge cases, performance, code structure. Then I fix all the issues they find. Different AIs catch different things, so using several gives ... ... pretty solid coverage. Plus I test everything manually before release. It's not perfect, but it works surprisingly well! Comment from Tereza Hurtov (@tereza_hurtova): @monatruong

... prioritize the others tomorrow. For me, the most important part is consistency just keeping these habits alive over time. What about you? Do you have a daily (non-work) checklist or personal habits you try to maintain? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... patience and discipline, and help me keep my thinking structured and intentional. At the end of the day, we still matter - especially when it comes to important decisions in our lives. What s your perspective on this? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... stay flexible and adapt to each? Comment from Alex Korneev(@alexroot): As an introvert, I also find remote work and its flexibility to be beneficial. I think it truly improves my work results. Comment from Nika(@busmark_w_nika): @monatruong_murror  I think we share the same animal spirit! Comment from Nika(@busmark_w_nika): From my own experience... I am so exhaustive from commuting to somewhere and having so many people around. I need to focus on work ... ... that's better when I work remotely. I am even prone to socialise more when I am not a part of some in-office work :D Comment from Mona

... conscious one. Understanding what I want, what I need, and how to move forward in a way that feels sustainable. How do you combine personal growth and product growth in your own journey? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... welcome both new opportunities and new challenges because that s how growth happens. So how did you spend the first day of 2026? Did anyone hide under a table with 12 grapes? Comment from Nika(@busmark_w_nika): @monatruong_murror  Yes, we probably are :) Comment from Nika(@busmark_w_nika): Something where I can flex :DD just kidding :D I went for a walk. Exercised. Did some work. Read a book. Tried to learn languages. Comment from Astro Tran ... ... Peak (alt. 8,750 ft) and then a quick walk through the beautiful Carlsbad Caverns that are also in the Guadalupe mountain range. I m back at work today, rested and fresh for starting the new year. Comment from Mona

... with intention and strategy. I believe 2026 will be a year full of wonder for me, as long as I let go of old habits and stay consistent with the new ones that will yield good fruit Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... surrounded by great teams in a positive work environment I ve always hoped for. 3) And having good friends, good health, and the willingness to keep doing something meaningful with my life. Grateful for all of it. Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong