Thanks Kershaw and junglebrodda for the replies! Yeah, when you’re stuck, putting up a thread in core77 is definitely a good option. The conversation will help you explore lots of different approaches and hopefully help some others wit the same struggles too.
I’ve built out the product customizer further, there are now way more textures to choose from, as well as 4 different outsole. I’ve still got a few small things to improve (like the thumbnails), but I can focus on some other stuff too. I hope the options allow for different enough shoes, and I would like some feedback if anyone is willing to try: https://fusedfootwear.com/collections/custom-sparks.
Regarding shoes that look like something completely different, they have their value and I hope to get to more extravagant designs at some point. Truth be told, I already have some ideas in the pipeline. But with limited time and money, one has to make choices. It seemed more reasonable to me to first focus on a wearable mainstream shoe before loosing myself in experimentation.
And from a technical point of view, there are quite a few limitations when 3d printing with a single nozzle fdm machine. Overhangs are a big no-no for example. You wouldn’t have those limits with an SLS or DLP machine, but they are out of my league. And as mentioned, I kinda prefer the KISS principle. I do hope to stretch the limits of my fdm machine in the future, by combining filaments in the same print and speeding up the process.
To take all those possibilities and pour them in an understandable software platform that anyone can use to design a shoe, well that is WAAAAAAAY beyond what I can currently do. Nor what I’d be interested in to do myself, it would need peeps way more skilled at coding. But let’s focus on the coming months first.
Which really means business development, and the reason I started the thread. It’s been slowly helping me to crystallize my preferences. But for what it’s worth, it hasn’t provided any direct answers, nor was I expecting them (sure would have been nice though). I’m leaning towards making FUSED more synonymous with my personality, meaning I would be more outspoken about being a one-man show, a single product designer with a 3d printer trying to create something new. Hopefully that will serve as an aspirational model, though I guess that should depend on FUSED’ success. 
As for the design direction, I think techwear is a very interesting niche, and the most likely direction for me to take. It’s is slowly going mainstream in brands like Y-3 and Nike ACG, and the innovation and waterproofing fits well with 3D printing. And having made the modular shoe that I’m offering now, I do think that concept is hard to present and a more outspoken design will be better for brand recognition.
I’m curious where you all see opportunity for 3d printed footwear. Extravagant as in Haute Couture, or maybe more like a promotional product?
That still leaves me with surviving the next few months, either through sales, finding a business partner, getting accepted into an incubator or doing a kickstarter. I have noticed that my being aware of dwindling funds is negatively affecting my decisions. As in, I’m hesitating to spend on growing sales and the brand. Like doing a good photoshoot to get some lifestyle pics for example. Knowing it is half the battle though!