Introduction
There’s nothing wrong with Airtable. There’s nothing wrong with Figma. They’re powerful tools. But let’s be honest: an Airtable base is not a product, and a Figma mockup is not a startup.
Too many founders confuse tools with traction. They mistake internal progress for external validation. And then they wonder why users don’t show up and investors don’t bite.
Why Tools Feel Like Progress
Tools feel productive because they’re tangible:
- You can point to a workflow
- You can show a beautiful design
- You can say “we’re building”
But none of that answers the only questions that matter:
- Will anyone use this?
- Will anyone pay for this?
- Will anyone come back tomorrow?
Until those are answered, you’re not building a product—you’re organizing ideas.
The Dangerous Comfort of Mockups and Tables
Airtable and Figma are safe. They let you stay inside your comfort zone:
- No rejection
- No pricing conversations
- No real users complaining
- No risk of finding out nobody cares
That’s why founders stay there too long. It feels like work without exposure.
What Actually Makes Something a Produc
A product isn’t defined by polish. It’s defined by behavior.
A real product has:
- Users who depend on it
- Problems it solves repeatedly
- Feedback loops that shape it
- Money changing hands (or a clear path to it)
You can have all of that with something ugly, manual, and duct-taped together. You cannot have it with mockups alone.
When Airtable and Figma Do Make Sense
These tools are powerful when used correctly:
- To prototype a workflow users are already asking for
- To test assumptions quickly with real users
- To support something people are actively using
They should follow demand, not precede it.
How to Move Beyond “Almost a Product”
- Put something in front of users today
- Ask them to use it, not comment on it
- Ask them to pay, even a small amount
- Watch what they do, not what they say
- Iterate based on behavior, not opinions
If nobody interacts with what you built, it doesn’t matter how clean the table or how beautiful the mockup is.
Conclusion
Airtable helps you organize data. Figma helps you visualize ideas. Neither creates a business.
Startups are built in the market, not in tools. And until customers are using, paying, and pushing back on what you’ve made, you don’t have a product—you have preparation.
So stop polishing artifacts. Start building something people actually depend on.