Always keep the focus on the customer. People tend to ask their friends, even if they are not their potential customers.

In the end the only thing that matters is to get an fast product market fit. Means that your product delivers value for a certain group of customer.

This in order enables you to get in the PULL position. In other words the market wants your product/service and you do not have to PUSH it into the market - which is quite more tricky.