1. Startups
are more like
frogs than fish

2. Startups are
learning
organisations.

4. 2 stages of learning
Discovery Validation

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

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

7. 2 stages of learning
Discovery Validation

8. 2 stages of learning
Learn Confirm

9. 2 stages of learning
Ask Sell

10. Do we understand
this industry?
Does anyone
care at all?

11. Are we building
Do we understand the right
this industry? product?
Does anyone Will anyone
care at all? pay for it?

12. ❝
Build something
people want!
Paul Graham
❞
@paulg

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

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

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

16. 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

17. Good or bad
questions?

18. ❝ Do you think it’s
a good idea?
❞
Us

19. ❝ Do you think it’s
a good idea?
❞
Us

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

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

22. ❝
How do you currently
deal with this problem?
❞
Us

23. ❝
How do you currently
deal with this problem?
❞
Us

24. When does this problem pop up?
What makes it challenging, time-
consuming, wasteful, unpredictable?

25. Recording interviews.
Person Obstacle Goal Solution Job Excited Remiss Upset
Pair. One interviewer, one notetaker.
One phrase per card.
Use the icons as your record notes.

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

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

28. Please show me how you... Please
tell me what... I’m trying to learn...
Please help me understand... Can I
ask why? Can you please tell me
more about that?

29. ❝ How much would
you pay for this?
❞
Us

30. ❝ How much would
you pay for this?
❞
Us

31. ❝
How much money does
this problem cost you?
❞
Us

32. ❝
How much money does
this problem cost you?
❞
Us

33. ❝ Is there a
budget for it?
❞
Us

34. ❝ Is there a
budget for it?
❞
Us

35. If this were free, what would need to
happen before you could really start
using it?

36. ❝ Who else
should I talk to?
❞
Us

37. ❝ Who else
should I talk to?
❞
Us

38. Opinions are worthless!

39. 2 stages of learning
Discovery Validation

41. So, we had a meeting!

42. ❝ Sounds great. I
love it!
❞
Claudia

43. ❝ Sounds great. I
love it!
❞
Claudia

44. ❝
Brilliant -- let me know
when it launches!
❞
Jeremy

45. ❝
Brilliant -- let me know
when it launches!
❞
Jeremy

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

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

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

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

50. ❝ I would definitely
buy that!
❞
Claudia

51. ❝ I would definitely
buy that!
❞
Claudia

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

53. Meetings succeed
when they commit
to the next step

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

55. Real learning comes from...
Facts Commitment

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

57. Leancamp
What awareness channels can we partner with?
What do people learn at Leancamp that they apply?
What do famous thought-leaders get out of conferences?

58. Tweetable Text
How do authors pre-build their customer list?
How do authors test copy and learn about their readers?
How do authors prioritise their time when writing?

59. What are you Big 3 right now?
What does it really need to do for you?
How do you describe the problem - the job?
Where are people actively seeking a solution?
Tweetable Text
How do authors pre-build their customer list?
How do authors test copy and learn about their readers?
How do authors prioritise their time when writing?
Take 3 minutes to write them down.
Are they to learn or confirm?