How I Validate Startup Ideas Fast
How I Validate Startup Ideas Fast
I have this bad habit (or maybe a gift) of constantly landing on B2C ideas. It’s just how my brain works. Every walk, workout, or random frustration turns into: “What if I built something for this?”
But here’s the thing... I don’t want to spend more time than I need to chasing ideas that go nowhere. I want a system that helps me figure out: Is this worth building? Or should I kill it fast and move on?
Over time, I’ve built a process that helps me test ideas in hours, not months. Consider this my playbook. It’s designed to help you achieve more in less time without decades of experience.
Step 1: Frame the Problem Clearly
It always starts with a problem. For me, it was fighting with my wife about money. Apps weren’t helping. They showed us where the money went but didn’t get us talking about it.
That frustration turned into MoneyTalks, a neutral money coach over text. But before running off to code anything, I made myself stop and ask: What’s the real problem here? Who feels it? How acute is it?
If you don’t nail the problem, the rest is noise.
Step 2: Create a “Thinking Folder” in GPT
Here’s where I cheat a little. I create a dedicated folder in GPT for each idea. It’s like a private research assistant where I run all my research.
I feed GPT frameworks from books, articles, and threads by experienced founders. Then I tell it, “Apply this framework to my idea.”
For example, I’ll drop in Ash Maurya’s Lean Canvas and run MoneyTalks through it. All the sudden, I’m thinking through customer segments, problems, unique value props instead of staring at a blank page.
It’s like borrowing decades of startup wisdom and pressing it against my idea in real time.
Step 3: Spin Up a Google Doc “HQ”
Once I’ve got raw thinking in GPT, I need a place to organize it. That’s where my Google Doc HQ comes in.
One doc per idea. Tabs for:
Clarity artifacts (What’s the problem? Who’s the customer?)
Plans & strategies
Framework outputs (Lean Canvas, value prop, pricing thoughts)
It becomes a living record of my thinking. Even if I kill the idea, I can revisit it later.
Step 4: Rinse and Repeat
The power of this process is running various ideas through the same processes.
You begin to notice patterns over time. You see what excites you and what seems viable. You also spot where distribution will be tough and where pricing power is weak.
With MoneyTalks, I learned that the main problem wasn’t budgeting. It was poor communication that caused overspending. That clarity made me confident to run a pilot instead of creating another app.
The Takeaway
You don’t need 10 years of founder experience to pressure-test ideas like this one. You just need:
A clear problem.
A place to think (GPT folder).
A system to organize (Google Doc HQ).
That combo lets you move faster, with less wasted time, and still think with discipline.
If you're a builder, run your next idea through this process. Do this before spending a weekend coding. You’ll either find conviction—or save yourself months of wandering. Both are wins.