Everyone is just being polite

In July, I had the idea for Wanderwing. The app for kids that gamifies curiosity, autonomy, and grit.

This idea came from watching my girls, and kids in my community. I kept getting this nagging sense that kids need more chances to practice curiosity and grit without another dopamine machine in their hands.

I’m 44. I’m a first-time founder. And like most founders, I’m duct-taping together what I’m learning from books, conversations, podcasts, and a whole lot of trial and error.

On Monday, my idea for Wanderwing earned me something big: I won the ATL Startup Village #103 - Pitch Off—and a yearlong membership.

On Friday, I got my first real payoff.

Every Friday from 10–12, ATV founders can grab short advisor sessions. I sat down with A.T. Gimbel, and in just a few minutes, he quietly blew up a belief I didn’t realize I was building my entire strategy on.

I assumed the “right” path was this:
Build community → build a following → get people to fall in love → then ask for money.

Turns out… that’s a massive gamble.

AT’s message was uncomfortably clear:
If people aren’t paying—even a little—they’re probably just being polite.

Free samples lie.
Email lists lie.
Followers definitely lie.

You might have a few true fans. But odds are, most people signed up, forgot why, and skim when they remember you exist.

That doesn’t mean community is bad.
It means community isn’t proof.

Proof is someone pulling out their wallet before the thing is perfect.

So this is where my head is right now:

Who actually benefits from Wanderwing the most today?
Who feels this problem strongly enough to pay for a rough, early version?
What does “early adopter” look like when the product is still becoming itself?

That’s the work I’m sitting with this week.

If you’ve built something and crossed this gap—or have resources that helped you find your real buyers—I’d love to hear what moved the needle for you.

This is me, building in public. Thanks for being here while I figure it out.