[keenrodent]

When people say, "first find customers, then build it", they mean find people or businesses with problems that they will pay you to solve. With this in mind, your questions have sensible answers:

Customers will wait for your software because their problems are not being addressed in the marketplace.

The consequences of launch delay are that you erode your credibility and allow opportunities for competitors.

You will want customers to start that will work with you closely so that as you continuously deploy your always-working solution, they see benefit with every release. The second highest compliment you can get is "Your product just gets better and better". The highest complement you can get is payment.