Brief talk on finding and validating ideas, and how to think about the stages of personal investment you make to take your project to each new level.

3. 1 YOU BUILD SOMETHING PEOPLE WANT
2 YOU FIND A WAY TO REACH THESE PEOPLE
3 YOU CAN KEEP SOME OF THE MONEY

4. The most important task at first is to
build something people want. If you
don't do that, it won't matter how
clever your business model is.
- Paul Graham

5. I
*must*
Have
it!
Not
even
if you
pay me
DANGER ZONE
PAY WITH MONEY
PAY WITH TIME
PAY WITH REPUTATION
If you pay me… If it’s free…

7. FLIRT
DATE
IN-RELATIONSHIP
ENGAGED
MARRIED

9. QUALITATIVELY
1. Face-to-face with
potential
customers.
2. Surveys
3. Investors, Partners,
Domain Experts
DEMAND SIZE
1. Email Open / Click
Rate
2. Facebook or
Google Ads
3. Regional
marketing
CONVERSION
1. How many visit?
2. How many scroll /
click?
3. How many enter
their email to be
notified?

10. How would you feel if you could no longer use this
product?
a) Very disappointed
b) Somewhat disappointed
c) Not disappointed
d) N/A

12. • CONFIRMATION BIAS IS THE ENEMY
• RATIONALIZE AWAY PROBLEMS LIKE:
• “WE DIDN’T DO A GOOD JOB EXPLAINING”
• “IT WASN’T THE RIGHT TIME OF THE YEAR”
• “IT DIDN’T WORK BECAUSE THE NAME/LOGO/UI”
• INVEST MORE THAN YOU SHOULD
• AVOID COMMITING TO A PATH TO KEEP THE “OPTIONS OPEN”
• BELIEVE THIS IS YOUR LAST GOOD/BIG IDEA

14. • “MAKE MORE MONEY” > “SAVE MONEY”
• GIVE THE PERSON (USER/BUYER) A SUPERPOWER THEY
DIDN’T HAVE BEFORE
• DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE SEVEN CAPITAL SINS
• 100 PASSIONATE USERS > 1,000 SO-SO USERS
• YOUR PRODUCT HAS TO BE YOUR BEST MARKETING TOOL
• STRATEGY BEATS EXECUTION. PRODUCT BEATS STRATEGY.
CULTURE BEATS ALL.
• ACT FAST. NO, FASTER!