How to Validate Your Startup Idea

Start by clearly articulating the problem you're solving. A strong problem statement should identify who has the problem, what the problem is, and why existing solutions fall short. Write it down in one or two sentences.

Define your ideal customer as specifically as possible. Consider demographics, behaviors, and pain points. The more specific you are, the easier it will be to validate your idea.

Estimate your Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM). This helps you understand if the opportunity is big enough.

Identify direct and indirect competitors. Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and positioning. Look for gaps in the market that your solution can fill.

List your key assumptions about the problem, solution, and market. Design simple experiments to validate each assumption with real potential customers.

Build the simplest version of your product that demonstrates your core value proposition. This could be a landing page, mockup, or basic MVP.