If you’ve ever filled out a Business Model Canvas, you’ll know it’s deceptively simple: nine boxes to sketch out a startup idea. But the box that often makes or breaks the entire model is the Value Proposition — and within that, the most underrated element is the pain point.
Having taught Digital Business at a polytechnic in Singapore for years, I’ve seen countless student projects that looked exciting on paper but struggled in execution because they skipped one thing: a real, felt pain by real users.
What’s a Pain Point — Really?
A pain point is not a wishlist feature. It’s not “users want convenience.”
It’s the thing they hate dealing with — often so bad they’ll pay to avoid it.
Pain points are emotional, repetitive, and urgent.
They’re what separates “nice to have” from “must have.”
For example:
- “I forget to send invoices and lose money.”
- “I can’t find halal food that delivers hot in 10 minutes.”
- “I don’t know which bill is due next week.”
If your startup solves a clear pain like this, you don’t need to sell — users chase you.
Why Pain Points Matter in the Business Model Canvas
The Value Proposition in the BMC is supposed to answer:
“Why will someone buy this?”
Too many founders answer with:
❌ “It’s cheaper.”
❌ “It uses AI.”
❌ “It’s innovative.”
But none of that matters unless:
✅ It solves a problem someone deeply cares about.
Once you identify the pain:
- Your Product becomes more focused
- Your Customer Segments become clearer
- Your Marketing Messages write themselves
- Your Speed to Market accelerates — because you only build what people will use
How Pain Points Help You Reach Market Fit Faster
When I transitioned from teaching to launching AI-based microtools, I realized:
👉 The fastest way to reach Product-Market Fit is not by building a great product.
👉 It’s by solving a great pain.
That’s what I teach now to founders:
“Don’t ask ‘What can I build?’
Ask: ‘What pain can I relieve this month?’”
Examples:
- A tool that auto-generates cover letters = solving job-hunting stress
- A daily prompt app for digital burnout = solving mental overload
- A smart invoice bot for freelancers = solving payment anxiety
Each of these started from a specific user frustration, not a feature wishlist.
Tips for Identifying Pain Points That Drive Business
- Listen in forums, Reddit, or Telegram groups — real pain is raw and unfiltered
- Ask “What’s the worst part of your day?” — great for interviews
- Observe what people hack together — pain often leads to DIY fixes
- Check what people complain about but still use — opportunity lies in friction
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re building the next AI SaaS or a side hustle on Shopify, never skip the pain point. It’s not just a line in a canvas. It’s the reason your product exists. Every minute spent clarifying the pain is a month saved in development, marketing, and support.
When your Value Proposition is a painkiller, not a vitamin — you don’t chase users.
They find you.
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