Startup Idea Validation Plan
Test an idea before you build: grade evidence (said, did, paid), find the riskiest assumption, run the cheapest test with kill criteria.
Before & after
Same prompt, same agent — the only difference is the skill.
That's a big question. There are definitely ways to think through whether an idea is worth pursuing. You could talk to potential customers, look at the market, think about your own ability to execute. But there are a lot of factors to consider, and different frameworks would give you different views. What specific aspects are you most concerned about?
IDEA VIABILITY SCORECARD: FRAMEWORKS APPLIED (15 total): • Paul Graham: Is it a problem you personally have? • Mom Test: Can you get honest feedback without leading questions? • Peter Thiel: What contrarian bet are you making? • Alex Hormozi: How do you capture value, not just create it? • Plus frameworks from: Clayton Christensen, Y Combinator, Traction, Jobs to Be Done, Lean Startup SCORING (0-100): Market Size: 72/100 (addressable but not Amazon-scale) Validation: 58/100 (talked to 3 customer types, need 10+ depth interviews) Competition: 64/100 (fragmented landscape, one incumbent but misaligned) Execution: 81/100 (founder has domain, but needs 1 hire) Timing: 52/100 (emerging need, not urgent yet) FRAMEWORK INTERROGATIONS: Q: Why you, why now? A: You have 6 years domain, category just unfrozen by regulation. Q: Unit economics? A: Unclear → calculate before scaling. Q: What's the trap? A: Assuming doctors will use tool; validate adoption friction first. RECOMMENDATION: Build if you can survive 12 months on validation work (interviews, prototype, pre-sales). Don't hire until product-market fit signals.
About this skill
Friends saying they love your idea is not evidence. This skill grades what you actually know, finds the assumption most likely to kill the idea, and designs the cheapest test that could prove it wrong.
What it does
- Grades every piece of evidence on a said / did / paid ladder
- Turns the idea into a testable hypothesis and lists the assumptions inside it
- Picks the single riskiest assumption to test first
- Designs interviews, smoke pages, concierge, or pre-sale tests with pass and kill thresholds set in advance
- Writes non-leading, past-behavior interview questions
What you get
An evidence table, the riskiest assumption, one next test with time box, cost, and thresholds, what to do on each outcome, and interview questions if needed.
Best for
First-time and repeat founders, side-project builders, and product teams deciding whether an idea deserves to be built.
SKILL.md preview
---
name: startup-idea-validation
description: Validate a startup or product idea before building it - grade the evidence you already have on a said-did-paid ladder, find the riskiest assumption, write non-leading customer interview questions, and design the cheapest test (interviews, smoke page, concierge, pre-sale) with pass and kill thresholds set in advance. Use when the user says "validate my idea", "is this worth building?", "how do I test demand before I code?", "would people pay for this?", "score my startup idea", "my friends love it, is that enough?", or "what's the fastest way to know if this works".
---
# Startup Idea Validation
… (sign up to view the full skill)More business & ops skills
View all Business & Ops skills →Market-First Venture and PMF Verdict
Get a blunt build, narrow, test, or stop verdict based on buyer demand, retention, distribution, and explicit confidence.
Micro-SaaS Go/No-Go Validation
A build, test, reframe, or kill verdict on a micro-SaaS idea, with revenue math, fatal-flaw gates, and a test you can run this week.
Business Decisions From Live Notion Data
Turn Notion pipeline, revenue, and client records into evidence-backed business decisions and a focused action plan.
Disagreement Crux Finder
Untangle a stuck disagreement: steelman each side, find shared ground, name the crux, and agree a fair test or decision rule.