Post-mortem of our 1st YC startup: a Reverse ETL

In their deep dive into the evolution of their startup Lago, the founders reflect on their initial missteps and eventual pivot from a no-code data tool for growth teams to an open-source metering and usage-based billing API. Initially, they assumed that SQL literacy was the main barrier for growth marketers in managing data, failing to recognize that the true challenge lay in broader "data literacy" and an appetite for data engagement. This misunderstanding led to low adoption rates as their product was not aligned with the actual needs of their target market. Furthermore, they underestimated the "modern data stack" trend, which emphasized data engineering teams over growth teams as primary users of such tools. After realizing their initial product was better suited for a niche market, they pivoted to a new focus on solving billing complexities, leveraging their team's previous experience at Qonto. This new direction not only resonated more with the market but also reinvigorated their team, as evidenced by strong community engagement and early traction with their open-source approach. Despite the challenges of pivoting, the experience underscored the importance of aligning product development with both market trends and team enthusiasm.