The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

Write them down, but don’t rush to add them to your todo list. Startups are about focusing and executing on a single, scalable idea rather than jumping on every good one which crosses your desk.

Talk about their life instead of your idea Ask about specifics in the past instead of generics or opinions about the future Talk less and listen more

Rule of thumb: People stop lying when you ask them for money.

Organise meetups

If they haven’t solved the problem, ask why not. Have they tried searching for solutions and found them wanting? Or do they not even care enough to have Googled for it?

“How seriously do you take your blog?” “Do you make money from it?”

The premature zoom is a real problem because it leads to data which seems like validation, but is actually worthless.

In practice, however, I’ve found it both difficult and inefficient to set up all 3 meetings.

you also need to search out the world-rocking scary questions you’ve been unintentionally shrinking from.

It also makes it easier to face the questions that hurt.