How to Validate Your Startup Idea Before Building
Most founders skip validation and go straight to building. Then they wonder why nobody buys.
The Validation Mindset
Validation is not about confirming your idea is good. It's about finding out if people will pay money for it. Big difference.
5 Ways to Validate
1. Talk to 10 potential users
Not friends. Real people who have the problem. Ask about their current solution, what's painful, and how much they spend on it.
2. Pre-sell before building
Create a landing page with a buy button. If people click and enter their card, you have validation. Refund them and build fast.
3. Find existing demand
Search Reddit, Twitter, forums. Are people complaining about this problem? Are they asking for solutions? No complaints = no demand.
4. Check competitors
Competitors are good. They prove the market exists. No competitors usually means no market, not a blue ocean.
5. Run a smoke test
Spend $50 on ads pointing to a landing page. Track clicks and signups. Low interest = pivot before investing more.
Signs Your Idea Is Validated
- •People describe the problem without prompting
- •They're already paying for a bad solution
- •They ask when they can buy
- •They offer to pay upfront
- •They refer you to others with the same problem
The goal of validation is not to feel good about your idea. It's to find the truth before you waste months building.