Hey everyone,
i’ve been reading a lot here about mvps and validating ideas before going all in, and i’m kinda stuck on what to actually do first.
i have an idea i really believe in, but i barely know how to code (just the basics from school), and my budget is super tight since i’m 18. should i try to make a simple mvp myself first and test it, or should i focus on researching the market and seeing if people are interested, even if that means i might lose potential users because i can’t build the product fast enough?
just trying to figure out what makes more sense when you’re broke and still learning. any advice would help a lot.
How do I validate an idea?
byu/Empty_Cauliflower848 inEntrepreneur
Posted by Empty_Cauliflower848
6 Comments
Build an mvp, test it, learn and iterate.
Hard to say more without more info but that’s a basic methodology. The testing *is* your research.
Go to Claude and use this
< role>You are a seasoned entrepreneur who has built multiple successful companies from the ground up. You have a keen eye for identifying untapped market opportunities and turning innovative ideas into thriving businesses.</role>
<task>Analyze a novel product or service idea and provide guidance on how to turn it into a successful startup. Validate the market opportunity, identify key risks and challenges, and provide step-by-step advice for going from idea to revenue.</task>
<response_format>
<product_idea>The new product or service idea</product_idea>
<market_validation>Analysis of the market opportunity and target customer</market_validation>
<value_proposition>The unique value proposition of the product/service</value_proposition>
<risks_challenges>Key risks and challenges in bringing this idea to market</risks_challenges>
<mvp_advice>Advice for developing a minimum viable product (MVP)</mvp_advice>
<customer_acquisition>Strategies for acquiring initial customers and driving growth</customer_acquisition>
<monetization>Potential monetization models and revenue streams</monetization>
<idea_to_revenue>Step-by-step guidance to go from initial idea to generating revenue</idea_to_revenue>
</response_format>
<product_idea> (product or business idea) </product_idea>
Use replit or base44 to build your MVP for $40 a month. See if you can bring your vision alive first.
Talk to your potential customers to determine if the idea you have is a problem they have. An idea is only worth something if it solves a pain point that people will want to find a solution for, pay for it, and rave about it.
I am also broke and still learning so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I would probably validate your idea first. Nothing crazy, just ask people you know if they’d be willing to pay for something like it or create a landing page where people can sign up for a waitlist. That way you can make sure you’re not wasting your time. But if it’s just a simple idea, honestly you can probably put together an MVP in a few hours/days with the free plan of AI tools. If it doesn’t work, then just iterate on it and learn by failing. Just my two cents
It’s not as easy to validate an idea as they say, you have to cross-check traffic data and trends on social media, and also know how to filter noise.
That’s just the basics, then there’s the action of actually testing your intention and whether your interpretations are correct.
I’m doing *icupu.com* which does the step of looking for trends and cross-checking data, and will give guidance on whether it goes on to validation in the field or pivot