... Every time we push information at users, engagement drops. Every time we let them pull it when they're ready, it goes up. Has anyone else found that making AI less visible actually made it more valuable? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... request gets a 5-minute follow-up. One question: "What would be different for you if we built this?" The answer almost never matches the request. Anyone else been saved by not building what users asked for? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... outcome AI enables. The moment you lead with the technology instead of the transformation, you attract curiosity instead of commitment. Anyone else found that de-emphasizing "AI" in positioning actually improved their product metrics? Comment from Gal Dayan(@galdayan): @monatruong_murror  exactly, and the 41% retention jump is the proof - people weren't confused about what the product does once the label stopped setting the wrong expectation upfront Comment from Yudhish Khatri(@yudhish_khatri): Interesting, and I completely agree ... ... about the ethical side of things, though. I'm curious, do you mention anywhere on the site like in an "About Us" or "How It Works" section that AI is powering the experience?" Comment from Yudhish Khatri(@yudhish_khatri): @monatruong

... Simran Kumar(@simran_kumar): @bryan_williamson3  For me, deleting a journal entry doesn't mean it wasn't valuable. sometimes it means I got what I needed from it and was ready to let it go Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... When someone journals on Murror, our AI doesn't just process text. It reads emotional weight. It picks up on patterns the user might not see yet -- the way their language shifts when they talk about work versus family, the recurring themes they circle back to every few weeks, the gradual change in tone that might signal something deeper. We built this because it makes the product better. The AI can ask more relevant questions, create more meaningful reflections ... ... know when to give space versus

... limitation? Comment from Adam Idress(@adam_idress): Finally, someone gets it. Smarter AI doesn't always mean better sometimes it just means the user checks out. Asking good questions > giving good answers. Love this approach. Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... engage more meaningfully, and genuinely get value from the product. We're still figuring this out. Curious if anyone else is building something where success looks like less usage, not more. How are you telling that story? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... entirely. I built my (wonder)kid alone, and had years of experience, especially, go see, in managing teams and project management, rather than strict coding... and I made it, though it was very hard. Comment from Danny(@memsoph): @mona_kohlhaas  yes, yes... especially for the security. Comment from Alexander Vlasov(@vlasoffchess): I think this is a very honest and useful lesson. AI can make the first version feel almost magical, but the moment the product needs architecture, debugging discipline ... ... When debugging, provide the model a copy of the HAR file containing the output of the issue. This will pinpoint and resolve any bugs rather than letting it figure it out on its own. Comment from Austin Buhl(@austinbuhl): @mona

... resolution. The best product experience might be the one that teaches you to need it less. Curious if other founders have faced this tension between engagement metrics and actual user wellbeing and how you navigated it. Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... make someone want to sign up? If not, you might be selling the technology instead of the transformation. Would love to hear from other founders: have you experimented with de-emphasizing AI in your positioning? What happened? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... 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 Ayush Bera(@ayushbera): Hey 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 ... ... Comment from Alex J Jemmy(@alex_j_jemmy): For me, the strongest AI experiences feel less like software and more like clarity. The output matters less than the moment where I suddenly understand something about myself diffrently Comment from Mona

... time spent. Curious if anyone else has experimented with outcome-based metrics instead of engagement. What did you measure, and how did it change your product decisions? Comment from Ghost Kitty(@ghost-kitty-9607851): Comment Deleted Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... 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 ... ... with the feed looked great in the first week. Then our core workflow metrics tanked. People were browsing, not building. The feed turned an action-oriented tool into a scroll experience. We killed it after three weeks. The insight Mona

... Speed matters, but only after you understand what to build. Otherwise you are just running in circles very efficiently. What has been your experience? Have you ever slowed down and found that it actually accelerated your progress? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... nothing compelling, the problem isn't your marketing. It's your product. What's been your experience marketing AI products? Has anyone else found that leading with the human outcome works better than leading with the tech? Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong

... working day I usually plan my day in simple old-school notebook :) and.. it actually works super great for me! it's like task tracker that always open on second screen Comment from Syed Mustassim(@mustassim): Hi Mona, absolutely. And for me its not just personal habits I want to build on, but also other tasks apart from work that I try to maintain checklists and reminders for. However, despite maintaining checklists and reminders I find myself ignoring them ... ... myself like pay these bills early but I just end up ignoring or clearing the reminders and then complete those tasks at the last moment, which is very frustrating haha. Comment from Nika(@busmark_w_nika): @monatruong

... learning, and growing - one step at a time - wishing you a thoughtful year ahead. Have you written a letter to thank yourself for the year you ve just lived? Comment from Musa Molla(@musa_molla): This is beautifully reflective, Mona. What stands out most is the honesty , acknowledging fear, letting go of what no longer served you and choosing growth even when it was uncomfortable. Those are quiet decisions, but they compound. Wishing your 2025 efforts a lot of room ... ... take root and your 2026 self the confidence to keep choosing with intention. Comment from Rashi Arora(@rashiaroraofficial): @marshall_guan  This lyric hit me deeper than I expected. Comment from Nika(@busmark_w_nika): @monatruong

... your three today? Comment from ravenasjournal(@ravenasjournal): for real though, i'm grateful for: my family who love me unconditionally, my dogs who also love me unconditionally, myself who turns up everyday to support 1 & 2 Comment from Mona Truong(@monatruong