Solving Problems vs Delivering Value

Why you don't need to always be solving the Worlds problems.

I saw a LinkedIn post by someone the other day that brought back some thoughts. This post was talking about how you should define your business around the problems you’re solving, and the bigger the problem, the more successful you can be.

“What utter bullshit” i thought while reading it.

While solving a problem can be, and is a good thing - it’s not the key ingredient to building a successful company. In some cases, it’s not even that important.

This is where I believe that delivering value trumps solving problems. While they can sometimes go hand-in-hand, they aren’t mutually exclusive.

How often do you find yourself trying to answer the stock question “What problem are you solving?”. It’s practically a rite of passage for any founder pitching to investors, and if you read any book on getting started as a founder, it is always bound to come up. And I get it, everyone is looking for a heroic saviour who can swoop in and make the world a better place. But frankly, this mentality can create unnecessary stress.

Does every entrepreneur need to carry the weight of changing the world on their shoulders? I don’t think so, and a much healthier and sustainable question is “What value are we creating?”

One great example is a friends company here in Slovenia. BirdBuddy. They’ve made a bird feeder with a webcam, and they pulled in $40m in revenue in Q4 ‘24. Of course, i’m simplifying their product down, but that’s essentially what it is. And they aren’t attempting to solve climate change or deforestation here. They’re delivering simple job with an easy solution. Their product is easy to understand, and the value you can is immediate. Everyone wins!

BirdBuddy isn’t alone in this. There’s lots of examples of companies out there who are killing it, without solving huge problems. Post-it Notes, they haven’t re-invented writing, but they created value in staying organised. There’s also HelloFresh. They haven’t solved the worlds hunger crisis, and the “problem” they solve is more of a first-world one. By simplifying meal prep and making it enjoyable, they created real customer value.

There’s many more examples, but it’s evident. You don’t need to change the world to create something that resonates deeply with consumers.

Let’s get straight to it, then. Deliver value. Your customers happiness should always be your top priority. Even if you’ve created a product or service that could theoretically change the world, it doesn’t matter if it leaves your customers feeling indifferent. People won’t always open their wallets to things that don’t bring them value or joy.

So reflect for a moment. Are you giving yourself unnecessary stress by trying to change the world, or are you prioritising delivering value? What truly matters in the long run? Embrace the idea that sometimes, making a small but significant difference can lead to the happy, loyal customers you need.

Let’s get back to the heart of our business and focus on what really counts - delivering outstanding value.

Best,
Jon Butterfield