I learned how to validate a startup idea before you spend a dime the hard way. Like, embarrassingly hard.
Picture this: me, three years ago, pacing my living room at 11:48 p.m., convinced I’d cracked the code on “the next big thing.” I had a notebook and a name. I had already mentally spent the money I definitely hadn’t made yet.
What I did not have?
Actual proof anyone wanted this thing.
Spoiler alert: they did not.
I still remember telling a friend about it. She listened politely, nodded, and then said, “So… who’s paying for this?”
And I said, without hesitation, “Everyone.”
She blinked. Long pause.
“Everyone isn’t a customer,” she said.
Rude. Accurate. Necessary.
This post is basically everything I wish someone had told me before I wasted weeks (okay, months) building stuff no one asked for. We’re talking real-life, scrappy, zero-dollar validation. No MBA energy. No fancy charts. Just you, your idea, and reality gently tapping you on the forehead.
Grab coffee. Or water. Or whatever you forgot you made an hour ago about how to validate a startup idea?
First, Let’s Talk About the Lie We All Believe about How to validate a startup idea?
The lie is:
“If the idea is good enough, it’ll work.”
Nope. That’s like saying, “If this song is good enough, everyone will like it.”
Have you met people?
Ideas don’t fail because they’re bad.
They fail because:
- Nobody needs them
- Nobody understands them
- Or nobody cares enough to pay
Validation isn’t about crushing your dream. It’s about gently stress-testing it before your bank account gets involved.
Think of it like dating.
You don’t plan a wedding after one good text conversation.
(Unless you’re chaotic. No judgment.)
Step 1: Say the Idea Out Loud (Without Sounding Like a Pitch Deck)
This part feels silly. It’s not.
Try explaining your idea to a real human without:
- Buzzwords
- Long backstories
- “You know what I mean?” every five seconds
If you can’t explain it casually, that’s a signal.
I once tried to describe an idea and halfway through realized I didn’t even know what it was. I kept adding details like seasoning soup that was already ruined.
A good test:
“I’m thinking of building ___ for ___ who struggle with ___.”
If the person responds with:
- “Ohhh, yeah, that makes sense” → good sign
- “Wait… so is it like an app?” → unclear
- Polite nodding while mentally checking out → danger
Pay attention to their questions. That’s where the truth lives.
Step 2: Find the Awkwardly Specific Person
If your customer is “everyone,” it’s no one.
I know. It hurts. I resisted this too.
Your job is to get uncomfortably specific.
Not:
- “Entrepreneurs”
But:
- “First-time freelancers who hate selling themselves and avoid cold emails like the plague”
See the difference?
Specific people:
- Have specific problems
- Use specific language
- Hang out in specific corners of the internet
Validation gets way easier when you know who you’re validating with.
Step 3: Lurk Like a Totally Normal Internet Human
This is where the magic happens. And it costs $0.
Go where your people already complain:
- Twitter/X
- Facebook groups
- Discords
- Comment sections (underrated chaos zones)
Search for:
- “I hate…”
- “Does anyone else struggle with…”
- “Is there a tool that…”
I once validated an idea just by reading 200 comments from people arguing about the same annoying problem. They were basically handing me market research on a silver platter while yelling at each other.
You’re not selling yet.
You’re observing.
Like a nature documentary narrator whispering, “And here we see frustration in its natural habitat.”
Step 4: Ask Questions (But Don’t Pitch)
This is where people mess it up.
They ask questions like:
- “Would you use this app?”
- “Do you think this is a good idea?”
People lie. Nicely. Accidentally. Constantly.
Instead, ask about the past, not the future:
- “How do you handle this now?”
- “What have you tried already?”
- “What’s the most annoying part about it?”
If someone has:
- Tried multiple solutions
- Complained emotionally
- Spent money before
You’re onto something.
If they shrug and say, “Eh, it’s not a big deal,”
Believe them.
(That one stings. I know.)
Step 5: Pre-Sell Something Ugly
This part makes people deeply uncomfortable. Which is why it works.
Before you build anything, try selling:
- A waitlist
- A simple service
- A PDF
- A workshop
- Early access
No fancy website.
No logo spiral.
I once sold a service using:
- A Google Doc
- A Stripe link
- Way too much confidence
It worked. Not wildly. But enough to tell me, “Okay… someone wants this.”
Money is the loudest form of validation.
Even $5 counts. Especially $5.
Step 6: Watch What People Do (Not What They Say)
People say:
- “That’s cool!”
- “I’d totally use that”
- “Let me know when it launches”
And then… nothing.
Behavior is truth.
Validation looks like:
- Email replies
- Follow-up questions
- Actual payments
- People introducing you to others
Silence is also data.
Painful data. But still data.
What Validation Is NOT (Learn From My Pain)
Validation is not:
- Asking friends who love you
- Running ads before knowing the message
- Building a full product “just to see”
- Falling in love with the idea instead of the problem
I did all of these. Repeatedly. Like a slow learner with good intentions.
🔗 Outbound Links Worth Your Time
- Paul Graham’s essays (especially the early startup ones — blunt but comforting)
- Wait But Why for perspective when you’re spiraling
The Quiet Truth About how to validate a startup idea?
Most people don’t fail because they’re not smart enough.
They fail because they don’t pause long enough to check reality.
Validation isn’t flashy.
It doesn’t feel like progress.
It doesn’t give you that “I’m a founder” dopamine hit.
But it works.
And when you finally build something knowing someone already wants it?
That feeling hits different.
Okay. I’ve rambled enough.
If you’re sitting on an idea right now, staring at the ceiling at 1 a.m., wondering if it’s genius or nonsense—
You’re not alone.
Just don’t spend the money yet. 😉
