TRC 035: Validate or die

Read time: 5 mins

One of the most heartbreaking things I see as an advisor or mentor to early stage startup founders are the people who have spent months (sometimes even years) and often a large chunk of their savings on building a product without any clear validation of the problem / solution fit for what they have in mind.

Building a product without validation is like setting sail without a map.

You might reach your destination, but the odds are stacked against you.

Here are 5 key reasons why you should always validate before you start to build:

Why Validation Matters

1. Reduces Risk: By validating your problem and solution early, you minimise the risk of building something no one wants. This saves you time, money, and resources. Validation costs a lot less than building product.
2. Reduces Emotional Bias: Founders often fall in love with their ideas, leading to emotional biases that cloud judgment. Validation provides an objective assessment of your concept, helping you stay grounded and focused on what truly matters to your customers.
3. Builds Confidence: Validation provides concrete evidence that there is a demand for your product, making it easier to attract investors, partners, and early adopters.
4. Builds Credibility: Validated ideas carry more weight with potential investors, partners, and early adopters. Demonstrating that you've done your homework and confirmed market demand builds trust and confidence in your proposition.
5. Informs Better Decision-Making: Validation provides data to drive insights that guide your decision-making process. This helps you prioritise features, refine your value proposition, and create a more effective go-to-market strategy.

That’s why it’s important, but how can you go about it without ‘leading the witness’…..

The Mom Test is a great framework.

A Framework for Effective Validation

The "Mom Test," is a methodology outlined in Rob Fitzpatrick's book of the same name.

The premise is simple: your goal is to ask better questions that even your mom can't lie about to protect your feelings.

Here's how you can apply the Mom Test in your validation process:

Key Principles of the Mom Test

1. Talk About Their Life, Not Your Idea: Focus on understanding the customer's problems and experiences rather than pitching your solution. For example, instead of asking, "Do you like my app idea?" ask, "How do you currently handle this problem?"
2. Ask Specific Questions: General questions lead to vague answers. Drill down into specifics, such as, "Can you walk me through the last time you experienced this issue?" This helps you gather concrete evidence.
3. Avoid Hypotheticals: Hypothetical questions often lead to unreliable answers. Instead of asking, "Would you use a tool that does X?" ask, "How do you currently solve this problem?" or "What tools do you use?"
4. Listen More, Talk Less: Your job is to learn, not to convince. Let the customer do most of the talking. Listen carefully to uncover insights about their pain points and existing solutions.

Applying the Mom Test

• Identify Your Target Customers: Who are the people experiencing the problem you're trying to solve? Create a list of potential interviewees.
• Conduct Interviews: Reach out to your target customers and set up interviews. Remember to keep the conversation focused on their experiences, not your solution.
• Analyse the Data: Look for patterns and common pain points. Are there consistent problems that multiple customers are facing? These insights will guide your product development.

Validation is a critical step in the journey of building a successful startup.

By taking the time to understand your customers' needs and using frameworks like the Mom Test, you can ensure you're creating a product that truly solves a problem.

Remember, the goal is not just to build a product, but to build the right product.

Validate or die. It’s that simple.

Whenever you're ready...

There are three ways we can help you:

1. Join the Founder Coaching Club. 

1:1 coaching and an exclusive community for early stage founders.

Limited to 20 founders. 

Sign up here.

What other founders say about their sessions:

'Marcus’s expertise is unparalleled'
'Marcus has been an absolute game-changer for my start-up.'
'So many people offer up such sessions, but few can pull it off like this.'

2. Understand your level of investment readiness with our comprehensive pitch deck review.

3. Get free actionable advice in your inbox every fortnight.