Step 1: Surface Your Assumptions

Every idea rests on hidden assumptions. Before you validate, you need to map them clearly.

Ask yourself:

• Who is this for? (Be specific: demographics, roles, workflows)
  
  
• What pain are they experiencing?
  
  
• How are they solving it today?
  
  
• Why is your solution significantly better or different?
  
  

Here’s how to get clarity:

Create Empathy Maps: Go beyond demographics, what do users feel frustrated about? What tools do they use? Where do they lose time or money?

Use the 5 Whys: Dig beneath the surface problem. For example:
“Users waste time with manual reporting”
→ Why? “Their tools don’t integrate”
→ Why? “They were chosen in silos without strategy”
→ …and so on.

Write a clear positioning statement:
“Our product helps [users] solve [problem] by [core solution], unlike [existing workaround] which falls short because [gap].”

Step 2: Talk to Real People, The Right Way

Most founders stop here and go build. Don’t. The real gold lies in talking to your users before you code a line.

Here’s how to do it effectively:

Find the Right Users

Don’t talk to just anyone. Find your actual target customers:

• Join LinkedIn and Slack communities
  
  
• Use advanced filters to DM people based on job title, role, or pain point
  
  
• Leverage your network or use cold email with a clear, respectful ask
  
  

Sample DM:
“Hi [Name], I’m speaking with [roles] to understand how they handle [problems]. Not selling anything, just learning. Mind sharing your experience?”

Ask Smart Questions

You’re not selling. You’re learning. Your job is to listen for pain, not praise.

Ask open-ended, behavior-based questions like:

• “Can you walk me through the last time you faced [a problem]?”
  
  
• “What did you try? What worked? What didn’t?”
  
  
• “What frustrates you the most about your current workaround?”
  
  
• “If a better solution existed, what would compel you to try it?”
  
  

Avoid leading questions like “Would you use this?” or “Do you think this is a good idea?”

You want real stories, not hypothetical opinions.

Step 3: Track Signals that Actually Matter

Not all feedback is equal. “That sounds cool” is not valid. Look for signals of real intent.

Here’s a helpful scoring matrix:

If your average score across 10 users is:

• <2: Reassess or pivot
  
  
• 2–3: Moderate interest, refine your problem or solution
  
  
• >3: Strong validation, move forward confidently
  
  

Step 4: Validate Without Building a Product

You don’t need an MVP to validate. You just need to test for interest and behavior.

Some powerful lightweight validation tools:

• Landing Pages: Describe your product’s value, with a clear CTA (email capture, waitlist, etc.)
  
  
• Explainer Videos or Mockups: Show the concept without building it. Ask for feedback or early signups.
  
  
• Surveys with behavioral triggers: Include pricing or priority questions to test what people care about.
  
  

You’re not looking for mass signups yet, just meaningful signals.

Step 5: Decide, Kill, Pivot, or Proceed

After 2-3 weeks of discovery interviews and signal tracking, you’ll start seeing patterns.

When to Kill

If users consistently don’t feel urgency, can’t see how your product fits into their lives, or prefer existing alternatives, it’s time to kill the idea. You’re saving yourself months of wasted effort.

When to Pivot

If the pain is real but your solution doesn’t excite people or it solves only part of the issue, you may need to pivot.

Pivoting doesn’t mean starting over. It means focusing on what people actually want, not what you assumed they needed.

Instagram pivoted from Burbn. Slack pivoted from a failed game. Smart founders adapt, not abandon.

When to Proceed

You’ve heard real pain. Users request follow-ups. Some offer payment or referrals. You’ve validated:

• Problem urgency
  
  
• Willingness to act
  
  
• Interest in your approach
  
  

Now it’s time to build your MVP, based on what you know, not guess.