Is startup validation bullshit?

Posted by dannorris under Startups
From http://thedannorris.com 4155 days ago

Shortly before starting my software app Informly I read the Lean Startup and had lots of conversations with some very smart software entrepreneurs about validation. I also read lots of posts from people who had ‘validated’ their ideas and had great results.

The problem is what happens if your results aren’t as rosy as those examples?

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Comments

Written by HeatherStone
4155 days ago

Dan,

You wrote:

"However as I’ve found with this idea and other versions (more later) there is a very big difference between someone entering their email into a box and someone paying you each month for a product."

Amen! Different scenarios outside the software field are no different. Advisers suggest you conduct a survey of potential customers in your market or create focus groups to determine whether customers are likely to respond positively to your brand. The trouble is that, in the end, the best way to figure out whether someone will buy your product or service is to put it on the market. Not to say there is no value in these other exercises. But it's important to understand their limitations. Thanks for sharing with the BizSugar community.

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Written by dannorris
4155 days ago

Hi Heather yes I agree it's not specific to software. People are just bad judges of their own behaviour period. The only thing with software is it's a lot harder to build something saleable. People have high expectations when purchasing a recurring software product.

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