Andy Walsh2x Exited Founder, Startup Strategist & Podcast Host

Audience feedback vs. gut instinct — how Sophie decides

13 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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0:57

Sophie makes products by balancing audience ideas with her own instincts. When she lacks inspiration, she asks her audience for direction. When she has a strong idea, she builds it anyway. Her made-to-order model lets her test anything without risk, whether it sells to two people or a hundred.

Chapters

As far as feedback you're getting from people on social media, direct feedback, etc., how much do you take that on board as far as the things that people are loving, the things that you're not observing, and to think about where you go to next with product creation, probably more than art?
I think when I'm feeling uninspired to create, that's when I kind of go to my audience and I'm like, what are you guys looking for? Because I trust them because I've already supported stuff that I've loved making. But then also at the same time, like if I have an idea, I'm just going to make it and do it and see what happens. Luckily I don't have that typical structure of like, I need to plan months ahead, order inventory and stock and all of that stuff. All my products are made to order. So that kind of gives me that flexibility to just be like, I can put it out there and if 2 people buy it, that's fine. If 100, that's great. So it's like, I don't know, it's definitely like a mix of when I go and find that feedback versus when I just do it myself.