How Persistence Helped Us Overcome a Product-Market Fit Setback with Boardssey

Startup life is no smooth ride. It’s filled with twists, turns, and sometimes, massive bumps in the road. One of the most critical lessons I’ve learned is that resilience and persistence are essential qualities for any founder to develop. This was especially true when my team and I hit a wall with Boardssey’s product-market fit.

The Challenge: Hitting a Major Roadblock

As many entrepreneurs know, discovering product-market fit is a game of trial and error. You test, learn, adjust, and repeat. Boardssey, a platform I co-founded to help board game designers and developers bring their creations to market, was no different. We had our vision, a growing community, and what we thought was a solid product offering.

But then we hit a snag.

Our beta users weren’t engaging with the platform in the way we expected. While they were excited about the concept, the features we’d built weren’t resonating the way we hoped. Engagement metrics were flat, feedback was inconsistent, and our carefully thought-out pricing model wasn’t hitting the mark.

It felt like a punch to the gut. Months of work had gone into building Boardssey, and here we were, questioning if we had missed the mark entirely.

The Bounce Back: Persistence in Action

Setbacks can be overwhelming. But instead of letting this roadblock defeat us, we decided to lean into persistence.

Here’s how we bounced back:

1. Listening Closely to Feedback

The first step was to listen to what our users were telling us. We collected every bit of feedback, from surveys to interviews to casual conversations with designers who were trying to use the platform. By diving deep into this data, we discovered that some features were either confusing or not aligned with the needs of our core audience.

2. Revisiting Our Value Proposition

With this feedback in hand, we went back to the drawing board. We revisited our value proposition and asked ourselves some tough questions: Were we solving the right problem? Were we positioning Boardssey effectively? This process wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.

3. Iterating Quickly

Armed with insights, we decided to make quick adjustments rather than get stuck in analysis paralysis. We implemented small but meaningful changes to the platform, like simplifying certain workflows, adjusting how we onboard new users, and tweaking our pricing structure to offer more flexibility.

4. Keeping the Vision Alive

Throughout this process, one thing kept us going: our vision. Boardssey’s mission to empower board game designers and bring their creations to life never wavered. We knew we were onto something special, but we just needed to adjust the way we were delivering it. This vision kept us persistent and motivated.

5. Rallying the Team

Finally, it was essential to rally our team around the challenge. We fostered open communication, encouraged creative problem-solving, and made sure everyone felt heard and supported. This created an environment where persistence wasn’t just something we preached but something we all embodied.

The Outcome: Finding Product-Market Fit

Persistence paid off. After making those adjustments, we began to see positive changes. Engagement improved, feedback became more aligned with our goals, and the user base started growing again. Boardssey began to find its stride, and more importantly, we regained the confidence that we were on the right path.

Takeaway for Founders: Persistence is Key

If you’re a startup founder, you’ve probably faced or will face similar challenges. My advice? Don’t let setbacks define you. Persistence is your greatest asset. It’s not about never failing—it’s about learning, adjusting, and pushing forward when things get tough.

Startup life isn’t for the faint of heart, but with persistence, resilience, and a willingness to learn, even the biggest setbacks can lead to your greatest successes.

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