Conor McCarthy

I've been going down a rabbit hole recently around idea validation. In the past, when starting a business of project, I have done everything from blindly pursuing the idea until something worked (often hard) right through to doing a more formal testing of the idea (worth it but harder to be objective). I'm curious. How do PH people do idea validation? If you have a great idea, what are your next steps? Edit: there have been some really fantastic thoughts and suggestions here! Starting with the end-user in mind is key, in an effort to understand their pains. I'm still curious as to how to ascertain market demand. Where do you go to see potential demand for an idea?

Have any startup founders here ever had a coach? If so, what's been the main value you have taken away from the experience?  I ve been coaching founders for a few years now and am always curious/amazed at the takeaways that people leave a coaching relationship with. Often, it s not what they imagined!

Hey there Hunters! I ve been a part of this awesome community for a while now, long enough to witness the hard work that people here put into bringing their ideas to the world, to figure out what's needed, and why. We want our businesses to have an impact, to make a difference in the lives of those we wish to serve, however small that impact may be. In all my time coaching business builders, both individually and as part of Seth Godin s altMBA, Freelancers Workshop, Bootstrappers Workshop, Marketing Seminar, and Small Business Essentials Workshops, a few things have emerged as gold standard practices that can make or break a new business. One of those things is the importance of the First 10 Customers. Those first ten customers are the hard push to get the Flywheel moving. Those first few customers are crucial. They help you refine your product, mould your messaging and positioning, and understand your target market. They teach you to ask better questions, and to refine your mindset. They teach you the hard skills , such as sales and marketing, as well as the real skills of listening and connecting with your audience in a meaningful way. There are few communities that I am part of that truly understands the effect that those first 10 Customers have on our business. For this reason, I have launched The First 10 Podcast, where I will be interviewing business builders on their First 10 Customers - who they were, how they found them, and what effect they had on their business so that you can learn what worked, and what didn t. If you are a founder, a builder, a creator, an entrepreneur or a marketer, this podcast is for you. If you are a student of what makes people tick, and how we can understand and communicate better with those we wish to serve, it s for you too. Read more about it here (https://www.conormccarthy.me/blo...), check out the website here (https://www.conormccarthy.me/pod...) and subscribe on your podcast app. I love to help people build their businesses, so please do DM me or drop me a line here (https://www.conormccarthy.me/wor...) if you want to talk about your First 10, and growing your business.