How to Validate a Startup Idea Before You Build
By Sebastian Janas·Updated
To validate a startup idea, write down who has the problem and what they do about it today, talk to at least ten of those people, and ask for a commitment such as a pre-order, a deposit or a signed-up pilot. Interest costs nothing to give, so only a commitment counts as evidence.
What validation is, and what it isn't
Validation is finding out, cheaply, whether people have the problem you think they have and whether they would pay to have it solved. It happens before you build, or while you build very little.
It is not asking friends whether the idea is good. People are kind, and "sounds great" tells you nothing. The only signals worth collecting are things people do: what they pay for now, what they have tried, and what they will commit to.
Step 1: Write the problem in one sentence
Use this form: "[Who] struggles to [do what] because [why]." For example: "Freelance designers struggle to get paid on time because clients ignore invoice emails."
If you can't fill in the "who" with a group you could list by name, the idea is still too vague to test. Narrow it until you can.
Step 2: Find ten people who have it
Look where those people already talk: forums, subreddits, Slack and Discord groups, comment threads under competing products. Ten conversations are enough to see a pattern. If you can't find ten people, that is a finding too: either the group is too small or you can't reach it, and you will have the same trouble when you sell.
Step 3: Ask what they do today
Ask about the past, not the future. "When did this last happen? What did you do? What did it cost you?" People describe the past accurately and predict their own future badly.
Listen for a workaround. A spreadsheet, a hired assistant or three tools taped together all show that the problem is real enough to spend effort on. No workaround usually means the problem isn't painful enough to pay for.
- When did you last run into this?
- What did you do about it?
- What have you tried that didn't work?
- What does it cost you in time or money?
Step 4: Ask for a commitment
Describe what you plan to build and ask for something that costs the other person a little: a pre-order, a deposit, a letter of intent, or an hour a week as a pilot user. A waiting-list sign-up is the weakest version of this and a payment is the strongest.
If nobody commits, change the problem, the audience or the offer and ask again. That is far cheaper than finding out after six months of building.
Step 5: Check that the numbers can work
Estimate how many people have the problem, what they would pay, and how many you could realistically reach in a year. Then check how long your savings last at your current spending. An idea people want can still fail if it takes longer to reach them than you can afford.
Signs to stop or change direction
Stopping early is a good result. It means the test worked.
- People agree the problem exists but have never tried to solve it.
- Everyone you talk to is interested and nobody commits.
- You can't find or reach the people who have the problem.
- The price people would pay can't cover the cost of reaching them.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to validate a startup idea?
Two weeks is enough for most ideas: a few days to find people, a week of conversations, and a few days to ask for commitments.
How many people should I talk to?
Ten conversations with people who have the problem usually show a pattern. If the answers still disagree after ten, the audience is probably too broad.
Do I need to build an MVP to validate an idea?
No. Conversations and a request for commitment come first. Build the smallest version only after people have shown they want it.
What counts as a validated idea?
People who have the problem have committed something, such as money, time or a signed intent, before the product exists.