In this episode of the Building Great Tech podcast, hosts Simon Hook and Anastasija Krysa delve into the uncomfortable truth that 72% of startups fail not due to poor products, but because they fall in love with ideas that are misaligned with market needs. They explore the concept of cognitive biases, particularly how these mental shortcuts can sabotage decision-making for founders. From confirmation bias to the availability heuristic, Simon and Anastasija discuss various biases that can cloud judgement and lead to misguided strategies. They also share practical strategies to combat these biases, emphasising the importance of structured decision-making processes and seeking diverse perspectives. Tune in to discover how to outsmart your own instincts and build a more resilient startup. Simon highlights that 72% of startups fail not due to poor products, but because they fall in love with ideas that are misaligned with market needs, emphasising the importance of understanding cognitive biases in decision-making. Anastasija discusses the dangers of confirmation bias, noting that 67% of startup founders only seek information that validates their existing beliefs, which can lead to ignoring valuable contradictory data. Simon and Anastasija introduce the concept of a pre-mortem analysis as a strategy to combat cognitive biases, encouraging founders to imagine their product has failed and brainstorm potential reasons before making major decisions. Follow us on Linkedin! https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasijakrysa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvhook/ Building Great Tech is the podcast that helps mission-driven tech businesses become more profitable and customer-focused. Whether you're just starting out or optimising what you’ve already built, each episode helps you drive conversion, retention, and real business growth. We dive into customer-focused strategies, killer product experiences, ethical tech, team dynamics, and smart roadmaps. Expect expert interviews, startup case studies, and practical advice to help make your tech profitable, scalable, and deeply aligned with your mission. Build better tech. Serve more customers. Scale with purpose.