Victor Crum

Starting a new app with AI is easy. Editing an old project is where I see things go wrong: it rewrites a file that was fine, ignores the existing structure, or changes something nobody asked about.

What do you give it before it touches the code? A short notes file, the folder structure, a list of files it must not change, or just the task?

The initial spark of an idea usually starts with a grand purpose and a wave of high motivation. However, over time, this process can turn into a cycle of professional and psychological exhaustion. As the project progresses, the idea hits walls relative to its purpose and fails to align with the real world. Sometimes, you have to give up right in the middle of building it; other times, as time passes and the idea keeps coming back to you, you begin to think it was just a nonsense idea in your mind all along. Watching a concept you once cherished slowly disintegrate like this is a process that pushes you to your psychological limits. As a founder or product leader, how do you prevent your mind from manipulating you with these ideas?
When and how do you realize that an idea will actually work and that it isn't just a mental trap?

When we first launched, we operated lean. We improvised our tools, worked out of tiny spaces, and every dollar spent was strictly tracked. Then right after our first funding round, we upgraded to expensive software suites, hired too quickly, and spent heavily on premium perks. Instead of accelerating our growth, it dramatically raised our burn rate and left us scrambling before reaching product-market fit.
How do you maintain a frugal, resourceful mindset across the company once fresh capital hits the bank account?