Business Idea Validation

Run the upgrade.

1. 01

   Write your problem hypothesis

   State the specific problem you believe exists, who has it, and why current solutions fall short, in one or two sentences.

   Hypothesis = [target customer] struggles with [specific problem] because [reason existing options fail]

2. 02

   Define your target customer precisely

   Narrow the customer to a specific, identifiable group (not 'small businesses' but 'independent hair salons with 1-3 chairs') so you can actually find and reach them.

3. 03

   Have at least 8-10 real customer conversations

   Talk directly to people in your target group and ask about their current behavior and pain points — avoid pitching your idea; ask what they do today and what frustrates them about it.

4. 04

   Check competitors and alternatives

   Identify how your target customer currently solves this problem, including informal workarounds, direct competitors, and doing nothing — 'no alternative exists' is rarely true.

5. 05

   Build the smallest possible test offer

   Create a minimal version of your offer (a manual service, a simple landing page, a pre-order) that lets a real customer experience or commit to it without full development.

6. 06

   Look for a willingness-to-pay signal

   Ask for money, a deposit, or a signed commitment from at least a few prospects — verbal enthusiasm without a commitment is not validation.

   Validation signal = real commitments / total prospects approached

7. 07

   Set your decision criteria in advance

   Before testing, define the minimum number of real commitments or conversion rate that would justify moving forward.

8. 08

   Make the go/pivot/stop decision

   Compare your results to your pre-set criteria: proceed to business model setup if met, revise the hypothesis and retest if mixed, or stop and choose a different idea if the evidence is weak.