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Angel investors will often categorize an idea as a painkiller or a vitamin. A vitamin is something that makes the customerβs life a little easier or a little better, whereas a painkiller is something that solves a real pain point for the customer. The assumption is that if you are addressing an actual problem a customer has, they will have a greater urgency to purchase your product or service and will more readily take on the risk of buying and using a product or service from a startup.