Market Validation
You built it. Now you need to know if the market is actually there.
Built it already and customers aren’t showing up? Or haven’t started yet and want to know first? Either way, this works the same.
The question’s always the same: does this have a real market, and who’s actually in it?
Who it’s for
If you’re about to bet real time and money on a new direction, start here.
Most people don’t skip validation because they’re careless. They’ve talked to some customers, run a poll, maybe put up a landing page. It feels like enough until the real money's on the line. This is the structured version: real conversations with real people in your target market, boiled down to something you can act on.
How it works
Four steps. Two to three weeks. One clear answer.
01
Map the riskiest assumptions
The three to five things that would sink the whole concept if they’re wrong. We test the ICP assumption first.
02
Design & recruit
I write the discussion guide and recruit real people in your target market: strangers, not your network.
03
Run structured interviews
Eight to twelve conversations about past behavior, not hypotheticals. Enough to see real patterns.
04
Synthesize & recommend
I pressure-test whether your market is reachable economically, then deliver a clear go/no-go.
A real example
A fitness business owner wanted to build an app for his food-prep business. Paying customers, real feedback, a clear vision. He just needed someone to build it.
I ran Market Validation first. A few weeks of talking to current customers, former customers, and people who’d never tried the service turned up the real issues: packaging, missing items, late pickups. No app was going to fix that.
He shut it down. A year later he came back to relaunch the whole thing, better. Sometimes the best research confirms you shouldn’t do the thing you wanted to. It’s still a win.
See all case studies →$250K+
saved by not building the wrong thing
$20K
cost of the research that found out
Know the difference
What market validation is, and isn’t.
Not market validation
Real market validation
Pick your depth
A fast read, or the full picture. Depends on the size of the bet.
Quick Validation
$1,500
Know in a week or two whether you’re chasing a real problem, before you spend more time or money on it.
- Tests the single assumption you're most worried about
- 5 customer interviews
- 1 to 2 weeks
- A findings summary with patterns and quotes
- A live debrief call
Best for: a gut check before you go further
Ask about Quick ValidationMarket Validation
Scoped to fit
Walk into your next investor or leadership conversation with a decision you can actually defend.
- Maps and tests the 3 to 5 assumptions that could sink it
- 8 to 12 customer interviews
- 2 to 3 weeks
- A full report with a go/no-go recommendation
- A live debrief call
Best for: a decision you're betting real time and money on
Schedule a consultationFree resource
Market Validation for Startups
Not ready to hire someone? Grab the playbook. Same six-step framework I use with founders, from mapping assumptions to sizing a market you can actually reach.
FAQ
About the Market Validation engagement
How long does a Market Validation engagement take?
Two to three weeks, start to finish. That covers mapping assumptions, recruiting, interviews, and the final report.
How is it different from Discovery Research?
Market Validation is pre-product: you’ve got an idea and need to know if it’s worth building. Discovery Research comes after, once you’re validated and need to understand the space more deeply.
What if the research says my idea won’t work?
That’s the point. Usually it’s less “don’t do this” and more “here’s what’s actually going on.” Either way, you know before you commit.
How much does it cost?
A fixed fee, scoped after a quick conversation. One client used the findings to skip a $250,000 mistake. Two to three weeks pays for itself fast.
What’s the difference between market validation and market research?
Market research is broad: industry size, trends, competitors. Validation is specific: does this problem exist for this customer, and would they pay to solve it?
How many interviews does it take?
Eight to twelve, usually. That’s enough to see real patterns if your segment is tight. More than that and you’re just hearing the same things again.
Do I need it if I already have customers?
Having customers is a signal, not proof. Validation checks whether the problem’s consistent across buyers, or if your early customers are outliers.
What is Quick Validation and how is it different from the full engagement?
Quick Validation tests one specific assumption with 5 interviews for $1,500, done in 1 to 2 weeks, and ends in a findings summary. Market Validation first maps the 3 to 5 assumptions that could sink the whole idea, then runs 8 to 12 interviews and ends in a go/no-go recommendation. Both include a live debrief call.
Ready when you are
Find out before you commit.
Two to three weeks of research that pays for itself, or grab the playbook and start yourself.
Atlanta-based, other places as needed