A good idea is a spark. These questions are the flint. Ask them, then dig deeper—each answer should trigger the next question. That chain reaction is your planning process, turning excitement into a roadmap you can actually execute.
Every great business starts with a real, painful problem. The first step is clarity: what exactly are you solving?
What specific problem does my idea solve, and for whom?
Is this problem significant or painful enough that people will pay for a solution?
How often does this problem occur, and is it growing in relevance?
Am I solving my own problem, or one I deeply understand?
👉 Tip: Every entrepreneur views problems through their own lens. Recognize your bias early — the goal is to understand the problem from the customer’s perspective, not just your own. The deeper your empathy and objectivity, the stronger your solution will be.
Once you’ve confirmed there’s a problem, ask whether there’s a market for your solution.
Who exactly is my target customer or niche?
What is the size of the target market? Is it growing?
Who are my competitors, and how do current solutions fall short?
How will I differentiate from these competitors in terms of value or approach?
👉 Tip: Map TAM → SAM → SOM to define the real size of your opportunity.
TAM (Total Addressable Market): Everyone who could theoretically need your product.
SAM (Serviceable Available Market): The segment you can realistically reach given geography, budget, or channels.
SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market): The customers you can actually serve — often within a defined radius or niche.
Understanding this funnel keeps your focus on customers who can realistically find and choose you. It also reveals your true competitive landscape — who’s already serving those customers and how. Competition isn’t a negative signal; it confirms that demand exists. Your edge comes from delivering greater value or differentiation where others fall short.
Validation is where ideas become real. You can’t rely on intuition alone — talk to people, gather feedback, and observe real behavior.
Have I talked to potential customers or gathered feedback on the idea?
Is there clear demand for my product or service, or will I need to create demand?
Can I build a simple prototype or MVP to test assumptions quickly?
👉 Tip: Validation is about evidence, not assumptions. Talk to potential customers early and often — and focus on their behavior, not just their opinions. A handful of real users engaging with your product reveals more truth than a hundred survey responses. Be mindful of your own bias — you know the problem and solution inside out, but your customer doesn’t. Your job is to see the idea through their eyes. Test quickly, learn fast, and refine before you scale.
Even if there’s demand, execution determines success. Be honest about your capabilities and constraints.
What business model makes sense — how will it make money?
Can I deliver the solution effectively and profitably?
What resources, skills, or partners do I need to turn this idea into reality?
How soon can the idea be launched, and how complex is execution?
👉 Tip: A great idea without execution is just theory. Map your business model early — know how revenue will flow, what resources are critical, and where your biggest risks lie. Simplify until you can deliver efficiently and profitably. Early traction is more valuable than early perfection.
Finally, think beyond the launch. Is this a business you want to live with and grow over time?
Is the idea sustainable and adaptable to future trends?
Does it align with my personal goals, passions, and values?
Are the potential risks acceptable relative to the possible rewards?
👉 Tip: Sustainable ideas align with market trends, manage risk, and adapt to change. Choose a concept that grows with you — one you’ll still care about in five years. Balance ambition with realism, and assess the risk-to-reward ratio with clear eyes. Define what success means to you and write it down — it becomes your compass when challenges inevitably arise.
Turning an idea into reality isn’t about guessing — it’s about testing. These questions give you a framework to move from idea to validation. Passion gets you started, but data keeps you moving in the right direction. Test fast, learn faster, and keep iterating until the market proves you right. The real flex isn’t just launching something — it’s building something that lasts, scales, and still feels authentic to you five years from now.