Why Customer Discovery Matters
The #1 reason startups fail is building something nobody wants. Customer discovery helps you avoid this trap by validating your assumptions before investing significant time and money.
The Mom Test
When talking to potential customers, follow these principles from Rob Fitzpatrick's "The Mom Test":
- Talk about their life, not your idea - Ask about their problems, not whether they'd buy your solution
- Ask about specifics in the past - "Tell me about the last time you..." is better than "Would you ever..."
- Talk less, listen more - Your job is to learn, not to pitch
Customer Interview Framework
Before the Interview
- Define your riskiest assumptions
- Prepare 5-7 open-ended questions
- Target people who experience the problem acutely
During the Interview
- Start with warm-up questions about their background
- Dig into their current workflow and pain points
- Ask about their failed attempts to solve the problem
- Understand how they measure success
Key Questions to Ask
- "What's the hardest part about [problem area]?"
- "Tell me about the last time that happened..."
- "What have you tried to solve this?"
- "What don't you love about your current solution?"
- "If you could wave a magic wand, what would be different?"
Common Mistakes
- Pitching instead of listening - You're there to learn, not sell
- Asking leading questions - "Wouldn't it be great if..." biases responses
- Talking to friends and family - They'll be too nice; find strangers
- Stopping too early - Aim for 20+ interviews before drawing conclusions
Action Items
- Identify 3 riskiest assumptions about your business
- Write 7 interview questions (no leading questions!)
- Find 10 potential customers to interview
- Complete at least 5 interviews this week
"Get out of the building." — Steve Blank, The Startup Owner's Manual