Startups
are more like
frogs than fish

2 stages of learning
1. 2.
Discovery
Validation

A man wakes up,
turns on the radio,
goes upstairs, turns
on the light, and kills
himself.
Why?

(picture of wedding ring for
commitment)
1. best: take their money
2.okay: take their email with permission to contact them
Image by wstryder

2 stages of learning
1. 2.
Discovery
Validation

2 stages of learning
“Learn”“Confirm”

2 stages of learning
“Ask” “Sell”

Do we
understand
this industry?
Does
anybody
care at all?

Do we Are we
understand building the
this industry? right product?
Does Will they
anybody
care at all? pay for it?

❝
Build something
people want!
Paul Graham
❞
@paulg

Anyone will tell you your idea
is great if you annoy them for
long enough

Dear Mom,
Don’t you
think I’m
great?
Love,
Your son

But, everybody will lie to you
(not just mom)

The mom test
Talk about their life, Future-tense
not your idea opinions are lies
Ask about specifics You gain nothing
in the past by convincing
them

❝
Do think it’s a good
idea?
❞
Us

❝
Do think it’s a good
idea?
❞
Us

❝ Would you buy a
product which solved
this problem?
❞
Us

❝ Would you buy a
product which solved
this problem?
❞
Us

❝ How do you currently
deal with this
problem?
❞
Us

❝ How do you currently
deal with this
problem?
❞
Us

❝ Talk me through the
last time you had this
problem
❞
Us

❝ Talk me through the
last time you had this
problem
❞
Us

❝
How much would you
pay for this?
❞
Us

❝
How much would you
pay for this?
❞
Us

❝ How much money
does this problem
cost you?
❞
Us

❝ How much money
does this problem
cost you?
❞
Us

❝
Is there a budget for
it?
❞
Us

❝
Is there a budget for
it?
❞
Us

❝
Who else should I talk
to?
❞
Us

❝
Who else should I talk
to?
❞
Us

Opinions are worthless!

2 stages of learning
“Learn”“Confirm”

So, we had a meeting!

❝
Sounds great. I love
it!
❞
Claudia

❝
Sounds great. I love
it!
❞
Claudia

❝ Brilliant -- let me
know when it
launches!
❞
Jeremy

❝ Brilliant -- let me
know when it
launches!
❞
Jeremy

Compliment
+ Stalling tactic
------------------
They don’t care
:(

❝ There are a couple
people I can intro you
to, when you’re ready.
❞
Jeremy

❝ There are a couple
people I can intro you
to, when you’re ready.
❞
Jeremy

Partial
commitment...
...what needs to
happen to get
the intro?

❝
I would definitely buy
that!
❞
Claudia

❝
I would definitely buy
that!
❞
Claudia

DANGER!!
Good signal, but
if you mis-read it
you will lose
everything

Meetings succeed
when they commit
to the next step

Examples of
advancement
> Permission to contact again
> Clear next meeting
> Introduction to decision-maker
> Commitment to run a trial
> Pre-purchase

Real learning comes
Facts Commitment

Title Text

It helps to pre-plan the big 3
questions you need to answer

My big 3 right now:
> Does it do what it says on the tin?
> Can we make it usable enough?
> Do people really, truly want it?

My big 3 right now:
> Does it do what it says on the tin?
> Can we make it usable enough?
> Do people really, truly want it?
What are yours?
Take 3 minutes to write them down.
Are they to learn or confirm?