# Validation Checklist

**Project:**
**Date:**

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## Problem Validation

### Do people have this problem?
- [ ] Talked to 5+ potential users
- [ ] Found 3+ people actively trying to solve it
- [ ] Problem happens at least weekly
- [ ] Problem costs them real time/money/stress

**Evidence:**

### Is the problem big enough?
- [ ] Market has 10,000+ potential users
- [ ] They currently spend money on solutions
- [ ] Problem is getting worse, not better

**Evidence:**

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## Solution Validation

### Does your solution make sense?
- [ ] Explained it to 5 people and they got it in 30 seconds
- [ ] At least 3 said "I'd use that"
- [ ] No one said "that already exists" (or you know why yours is different)

**Evidence:**

### Would they pay?
- [ ] Asked about willingness to pay
- [ ] Got specific price points
- [ ] At least 1 person offered to pre-pay or sign up for beta

**Evidence:**

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## Competition Check

### Can you win?
- [ ] Analyzed 3+ competitors
- [ ] Found clear gaps in existing solutions
- [ ] Your approach is meaningfully different
- [ ] You have some unfair advantage

**Evidence:**

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## Build Check

### Can you actually build this?
- [ ] Scoped MVP to 2-4 weeks of work
- [ ] Have the skills (or know who does)
- [ ] No major technical unknowns
- [ ] Don't need permission from anyone

**Evidence:**

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## Founder Fit

### Should YOU build this?
- [ ] You understand the users personally
- [ ] You'd use this product yourself
- [ ] You can reach first 10 users without ads
- [ ] You're excited to work on this for 2+ years

**Evidence:**

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## Scoring

| Category | Score (1-5) | Notes |
|----------|-------------|-------|
| Problem exists | | |
| Problem is painful | | |
| Solution makes sense | | |
| Would pay | | |
| Can beat competition | | |
| Can build it | | |
| Founder fit | | |

**Total:** /35

### Decision Guide
- 28-35: Strong signal. Build it.
- 21-27: Promising. Do more validation.
- 14-20: Weak. Rethink the idea or pivot.
- Below 14: Kill it. Move on.

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## Decision

- [ ] Build MVP
- [ ] More validation needed on: ___________
- [ ] Pivot to: ___________
- [ ] Kill and move on