Will your startup idea take off?
Use this 12-point checklist to assess your market potential before investing heavily.
1.🎯 Know Your First Customers
If you can’t name your first 10 potential customers, your idea isn’t ready.
✔️ Be specific, not vague.
2. 📈 Are People Already Searching for a Solution?
Look for existing conversations, Google search volume, or DIY hacks.
✔️ Reddit, Quora, forums = goldmines of insight.
3. 🧩 Current Solutions Aren’t Good Enough
Are users frustrated with what’s available?
✔️ 3.5x success correlation if you identify clear limitations.
4. 👀 You’ve Seen the Problem Firsthand
If you’ve lived it, you understand it.
✔️ Your pain = your opportunity.
5. 😲 Unprompted Excitement
Do people say, “I need this yesterday”?
✔️ Genuine enthusiasm = product-market fit signal.
6. 💰 Quantifiable Value
Can you say how much time or money your solution saves?
✔️ Specific ROI = stronger pitch + better traction.
7. 🌱 Market Trends Are Rising
Is your market growing year-over-year?
✔️ Ride a wave, don’t swim upstream.
8. 💸 People Would Pay
When you talk price, do users stay or shy away?
✔️ Avoid building freebies for freeloaders.
9. 🔁 Is the Problem Recurring?
One-time pain is forgettable. Ongoing pain gets a budget.
✔️ Recurring = sustainable business.
10. 🆚 Healthy Competition Exists
No competition = no demand.
✔️ Look for funded players, it validates the space.
11. 💼 Industry Experts Talk About It
Is this problem already getting press, talks, or analyst coverage?
✔️ External validation builds your case.
12. Score Yourself
🟢 9–12: Move forward.
🟡 6–8: Strengthen your case.
🔴 3–5: Rethink or pivot.
⚫ 0–2: Back to the drawing board.
Over to You:
🚀 How many of these signals does your startup idea check off?
Share your score below, let’s spark a conversation.
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