This is a question I wish more new businesses and startups would ask: do I actually have a good idea?

Because all too often I see businesses fail because they built a solution in search of a problem, and when their Product didn’t fit the Market … they blamed the Market instead of taking responsibility.

testing your startup’s new business idea is simple, but not necessarily easy. You need to commit to these 3 steps … and truly listen to the response:

  1. Clearly define your Target Customers
  2. Document your understanding of Their Pain
  3. Go and interview at least 10 (and preferably more) of these target clients and ask them whether they believe you have a good business idea.

You’ll get 3 possible responses to that question. And you might be surprised to learn that the worst possible response is “Yes, that’s a great idea”.

 

Originally authored by Jacob Aldridge.