Validation & First Revenue

Before you write a single line of code or spend a dollar on design, you must talk to at least 20–30 potential customers. In the U.S., this is called "getting out of the building."

• To find out if the problem you are solving is actually a "Top 3" pain point for them. If it's problem #10, they will never pay for it.
• Use the "Mom Test." Don't ask, "Do you like my idea?" (People will lie to be nice). Instead, ask: "Tell me about the last time you dealt with [Problem]. How did you try to fix it? How much time/money did that cost you?"
• Listen for emotion. If a customer gets frustrated or angry while talking about the problem, you’ve found a "hair-on-fire" problem worth solving.