Startup MVP Validation Framework: Test Your Idea in 7 Days

Stop wasting months building the wrong product. This framework helps you validate your startup idea in just 7 days using proven techniques from successful founders.

Framework Overview

The 7-Day Sprint

Our validation framework compresses months of guesswork into one focused week:

Days 1-2: Problem Discovery (Talk to 10+ people)
Days 3-4: Solution Testing (Show mockups/demos)
Days 5-6: Market Validation (Test willingness to pay)
Day 7: Go/No-Go Decision (Analyze and decide)

Core Principles

1. Talk to humans, not surveys
2. Actions over opinions
3. Specific over general
4. Speed over perfection

Success Criteria

Before starting, define what validation looks like:

• [ ] 7/10 people confirm the problem
• [ ] 5/10 show strong interest in solution
• [ ] 3/10 willing to pay/pre-order
• [ ] Clear path to 100 customers

Days 1-2: Problem Discovery

Goal: Validate the Problem Exists

Day 1 Morning: Recruit Interviewees

Target list sources:

• LinkedIn (search job titles)
• Reddit communities
• Facebook groups
• Twitter followers
• Personal network

Outreach template:

Hi [Name],

I'm researching how [job title] handle [problem area] 
and would love 15 minutes of your insights.

No sales pitch - just learning from experts like you.

Free this week for a quick call?

Thanks,
[Your name]

Day 1 Afternoon: Conduct Interviews

Interview script:

1. "Tell me about your role at [company]"
2. "Walk me through how you currently [process]"
3. "What's the most frustrating part?"
4. "How often does this happen?"
5. "What have you tried to solve it?"
6. "How much time/money does this cost?"
7. "If you had a magic wand...?"

Day 2: Analyze Patterns

Look for:

• Same problem mentioned 5+ times
• Strong emotional reactions
• Current solutions are hacky
• Quantifiable pain (time/money)

Red flags:

• "Nice to have" language
• No current workarounds
• Low frequency problems
• No budget allocated

Validation Scorecard

| Criteria | Score (1-5) | Weight | |----------|-------------|--------| | Problem severity | ___ | x3 | | Frequency | ___ | x2 | | Current solutions inadequate | ___ | x2 | | Budget exists | ___ | x3 | | Total | ___/50 | |

Score 35+: Strong problem validation ✅

Days 3-4: Solution Testing

Goal: Validate Your Approach

Day 3 Morning: Create Solution Artifacts

Choose one:

• Figma mockups (2-3 screens)
• Landing page (Carrd/Webflow)
• Demo video (Loom)
• Slide deck (5-7 slides)

Keep it simple - focus on core value prop.

Day 3 Afternoon: Test with Original Interviewees

Follow-up message:

Thanks again for our chat! Based on what I learned,
I've sketched out a potential solution.

Would love 10 minutes of your feedback:
[Link to artifact]

Any initial reactions?

Day 4: Iterate and Expand

Based on feedback:

1. Update your solution
2. Test with 5 new people
3. Track excitement levels
4. Note feature requests

Solution Validation Metrics

Track these reactions:

• 😍 "When can I use this?" (Strong validation)
• 🙂 "Interesting approach" (Moderate)
• 😐 "Maybe useful" (Weak)
• 🤔 "I don't get it" (Pivot signal)

Target: 50%+ strong reactions

Days 5-6: Market Validation

Goal: Validate Business Viability

Day 5: Pricing Discovery

Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity questions:

1. "At what price is this too expensive?"
2. "At what price is this getting expensive but you'd consider it?"
3. "At what price is this a bargain?"
4. "At what price is this too cheap to trust?"

Analyze for optimal price range.

Day 6: Commitment Test

Options by commitment level:

High Commitment (Best signal)

• Letter of Intent
• Pre-order with payment
• Pilot program signup

Medium Commitment

• Beta waitlist with detailed info
• Calendar booking for demo
• Referral to decision maker

Low Commitment (Weak signal)

• Email signup only
• "Keep me updated"
• Social media follow

Market Size Validation

Quick TAM calculation:

# of target customers in market
x % with the problem (from interviews)
x % willing to pay (from tests)
x Annual price point
= Total Addressable Market

Minimum viable market: Path to $1M ARR

Day 7: Decision Time

Morning: Compile All Data

Create validation summary:

1. Problem validation score: ___/50
2. Solution excitement: ___% positive
3. Pricing sweet spot: $_____
4. Commitment level: High/Med/Low
5. TAM calculation: $_____

Afternoon: Make the Decision

Green Light (Build it!) ✅

• Problem score 35+
• Solution excitement 50%+
• Multiple pre-commitments
• Clear monetization path
• TAM > $10M

Yellow Light (Iterate) 🟡

• Problem validated but solution needs work
• Interest but no commitments
• Pricing uncertainty
• Small but passionate market

Red Light (Pivot) 🔴

• Low problem scores
• Lukewarm solution response
• No payment interest
• TAM < $1M
• Better opportunities identified

Next Steps by Decision

If Green Light:

1. Build MVP (4-8 weeks)
2. Onboard beta users
3. Iterate based on usage
4. Plan go-to-market

If Yellow Light:

1. Run another validation sprint
2. Test different approach
3. Narrow target market
4. Simplify solution

If Red Light:

1. Thank participants
2. Share learnings
3. Choose new problem
4. Start fresh sprint

Validation Success Stories

Example 1: B2B SaaS

• Problem: Sales teams losing deals due to slow proposals
• Validation: 8/10 confirmed, 5 pre-paid annual licenses
• Result: $50k MRR in 6 months

Example 2: Consumer App

• Problem: Parents struggling with kids' screen time
• Validation: High interest but low payment intent
• Pivot: B2B2C model selling to schools

Example 3: Marketplace

• Problem: Freelancers finding quality clients
• Validation: Supply side eager, demand side skeptical
• Iterate: Focus on specific niche (designers)

Your Validation Toolkit

Ready to validate? Download these resources:

• 📊 Validation Scorecard
• 📝 Interview Script Templates
• 🎯 Target Customer Worksheet
• 📈 Market Sizing Calculator

Need help? Book a Validation Workshop

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Common Validation Mistakes

❌ Asking hypotheticals - "Would you use...?" ✅ Asking about past behavior - "Tell me about last time..."

❌ Pitching your idea immediately ✅ Understanding their world first

❌ Talking to anyone who will listen ✅ Targeting specific user profiles

❌ Ignoring weak signals ✅ Following the data even when it hurts

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Remember: A week of validation can save you months of building the wrong thing.