The 7-Day Validation Sprint
Most startups fail because they build something nobody wants. Here's how to validate your idea in 7 days before writing a single line of code.
Day 1: Problem Definition
Morning: Articulate Your Hypothesis
Write down in one sentence:
"I believe [target customer] has a problem with [specific problem] and would pay for [type of solution]."
Be specific:
• Bad: "Businesses have HR problems"• Good: "UK SMEs with 10-50 employees spend 5+ hours/week on manual holiday tracking"Afternoon: Identify Target Customers
Create a list of 50 potential customers you could reach:
• LinkedIn connections• Friends of friends• Industry communities• Local business directoriesDay 2: Customer Discovery Calls
**Goal**: 5-10 customer interviews
**What to Ask**:
1. Tell me about how you currently handle [problem area]2. What's the most frustrating part?3. How much time/money does this cost you?4. What have you tried to solve this?5. What would a perfect solution look like?**What NOT to Do**:
• Don't pitch your solution• Don't lead with "wouldn't it be great if..."• Don't interview friends who'll be polite**Key Signals**:
• Customers describe the problem with emotion• They've tried multiple solutions• They quantify the cost of the problem• They ask if you're building somethingDay 3: Competitor & Market Analysis
Morning: Map the Competitive Landscape
For each competitor, document:
• What do they do well?• What do customers complain about?• What's their pricing?• How do they acquire customers?Afternoon: Identify Your Differentiation
Answer:
• Why would someone choose you over alternatives?• What can you do 10x better?• What unique insight do you have?Day 4: Landing Page Test
Morning: Create a Landing Page
Use Carrd, Typedream, or Webflow. Include:
• Clear headline stating the value• Key benefits (not features)• Social proof (even testimonials from interviews)• Email signup or "Request Access" buttonAfternoon: Drive Traffic
• Post in relevant communities (Reddit, Facebook groups, LinkedIn)• Email your interview contacts• Share on personal social media• Consider £50-100 in ads**Target**: 100 page visitors
Day 5: Measure Interest
**Metrics to Track**:
• Visitor to signup conversion rate• Traffic sources that convert best• Time on page• Scroll depth**Good Signals**:
• 10%+ email signup rate• People sharing the page• Inbound messages asking questions• Comments in communities are positive**Bad Signals**:
• Less than 3% signup rate• No engagement on community posts• Negative feedback• Nobody asks follow-up questionsDay 6: Pre-Sell Your Solution
**The Acid Test**: Will people pay money?
**Options**:
1. **Waitlist with Payment** "Join the waitlist for £10 and get 6 months free when we launch"
2. **Founding Member Offers** "Become a founding member for £99/year (normally £199)"
3. **Consulting First** "I'll solve this problem for you manually for £X"
**Good Signal**: 5+ paying customers or £500+ in pre-sales
Day 7: Decision Time
**Green Lights (Proceed)**:
• 5+ people pre-paid or committed• Interviews revealed urgent, expensive problem• Clear differentiation from competitors• You're excited to build it**Yellow Lights (Pivot)**:
• Interest but no payments• Problem isn't painful enough• Market is too crowded• Solution is too complex**Red Lights (Stop)**:
• Nobody signed up• Interviews revealed no real problem• Competitors already solve it well• You're not excited about itWhat's Next If Validated
**Week 2**: Deep dive on solution design
**Week 3-6**: Build your MVP
**Week 7**: Launch to waitlist
What's Next If Not Validated
• Pivot to an adjacent problem• Target a different customer segment• Find a different solution approach• Move on to your next ideaThe Validation Mindset
Every idea feels good in your head. Validation separates imagination from opportunity.
The goal isn't to prove you're right—it's to find truth quickly. The faster you invalidate bad ideas, the faster you find good ones.
Seven days of validation can save seven months of wasted development. Run the sprint.
