In the early days of a product, both founders and investors are driven by momentum and vision. But products are not just about building they are about sustaining. And sustaining is unglamorous compared to launching.

A sane procedure for a developer or a company is to treat maintenance as a core part of the business model from day one rather than an afterthought. Plan for the cost and time of keeping the product alive before you even write the first line of code. This means making technology choices that minimize long term complexity not just optimize for rapid release. It also means saying no to features that dilute the mission.

For users the reality is that technology is a bet. When adopting a new product you are not only buying into the current experience but into the likelihood that its creators will still care about it in three years. Look for signs of discipline in updates responsiveness to feedback and transparency about roadmaps. A minimal product with a committed small team will outlast a flashy product built on shaky enthusiasm.