The Art of Validating Your Startup Idea
Chris Dalrymple- Mar 27
- 2 min read
Got an idea? Can’t stop thinking about it? Let's try to make it happen.
I've been speaking to a surprising number of potential business founders recently who have an idea but are struggling with the thorny issue of 'validation'.
At Mina, we spent a lot of time early on figuring out if we were solving a real problem for the right people. We made mistakes, of course, and focussed on problems for too long before abandoning them, but eventually that learning helped us move faster, avoid expensive wrong turns, and build something that actually mattered.
If you’re sat in a corporate job or freelancing, and wondering whether your idea could be the real thing, this post is for you.
What does “validation” mean in a new startup?
It’s simply working out whether your idea is solving a real problem for real people—before you burn time or money building it.
And no, your mates/family/colleagues saying “that sounds cool” doesn’t count.
Getting started – without quitting your job
1. Get REALLY specific about the problem
What exactly are you fixing? Who feels the pain? “People hate spreadsheets” is too vague. “Freelance designers waste time chasing unpaid invoices” is better. "Freelance designers in the retail space waste time and risk cashflow chasing large retailers for unpaid invoices" is better still.
2. Find real humans who might care
Start with 5–10 people. They could be:
Contacts on LinkedIn
People in Reddit threads or Slack groups
Attendees at industry conferences or meetups
People you meet through networking events or trade shows
You’d be amazed what people will share over a coffee or post-panel chat—especially if you’re genuinely curious and not trying to sell anything.
3. Have some conversations
Don’t pitch. Just listen. Ask questions. Lots of questions.
What’s the most annoying part of your job?
How are you dealing with that now?
Have you tried to fix it? Spent money on it?
4. Look for pattern
If you’re hearing the same pain points again and again, your idea’s starting to breathe. If not, that’s useful data too—pivot or park it.
5. Test something small
Mock up a landing page, sketch the concept, make a scrappy demo video. See if anyone engages, asks questions, wants more. That’s a signal.
The aim isn’t to be right. It’s to learn quickly.
Most early-stage ideas evolve—and that’s a strength, not a weakness. You’re just trying to find out if there’s something worth pursuing. Fast, cheap, and honest.
Once you have validation, you can start to think about gaining traction. But that's another blog post for another day...
At Trove, we work with founders at this exact stage—people with a day job, a smart idea, and the itch to make something real.
If that sounds like you, Carl and I are always up for an informal, open chat to explore where you’re at and whether we can help.
📅 Book a free intro chat here – we’ll bring the questions. You bring the idea.
