The Validation Sprint: What to Ask in 5 Customer Interviews
Five good conversations can save you months of building the wrong thing. Here is exactly who to talk to, what to ask, and how to read the answers.
You do not need a survey of 500 people to validate an idea. You need five real conversations with the right people — done well. Here is the sprint.
Who to talk to
People who have the problem today — not friends, not family (too kind), not random strangers. If you cannot find five people with the problem, that is itself a finding.
The rule: ask about the past, not the future
People are terrible at predicting what they will do and great at describing what they have done. So ask about their actual behavior:
- "Tell me about the last time you dealt with [problem]."
- "What did you do? What did it cost you in time or money?"
- "What have you tried? What did you pay for?"
- "What is frustrating about how you handle it now?"
Avoid "Would you use a product that...?" — the answer is always a polite yes, and it means nothing.
What you are listening for
- Emotion. Real pain comes with frustration. Shrugs mean no business.
- Existing spend. Are they already paying for a workaround or rival? Budget exists.
- Frequency. Daily/weekly problems beat once-a-year ones.
End with a small ask
Before you leave, test commitment: "I'm building something for this — can I email you when it's ready?" or, stronger, "Would you pre-order at a discount?" A yes with an email or a deposit is worth more than an hour of compliments.
Then score what you heard
After five interviews you will have a gut read — make it concrete. The free Idea Scorecard turns those conversations into a 0–100 score and a clear verdict: pursue, refine, or rethink.
Want the full system?
Start Your Business turns these ideas into a step-by-step plan, with interactive tools and a clear path from where you are to where you want to be.