Here's another way to classify this mistake. Usually, engineers first get good at "technology". Then they learn to get good at "product". Somewhere in their careers, they learn about "distribution". And then they invariable wish they had learned these lessons in the reverse order: Start with the distribution opportunity, devise a product around that opportunity, and as a last resort, some times, you need some tech to build that product.
I find the distribution->product->tech pipeline a more constructive way to think about building a business than "product-market fit", or "starting from a pain point". And it's a lot more productive than the reverse tech->product->distribution pipeline.
I find the distribution->product->tech pipeline a more constructive way to think about building a business than "product-market fit", or "starting from a pain point". And it's a lot more productive than the reverse tech->product->distribution pipeline.