Startup Practice

Early startup work is often a series of direct conversations. A potential user can describe a workflow, a buyer can explain a purchasing constraint, and a first customer can reveal whether the promised output is actually useful. This collection treats those conversations as distinct sources of evidence rather than combining every positive response into a single measure of demand.

Start with customer interviews to learn about an existing task without turning every question into a pitch. Continue with the first-customers guide when you are ready to describe a bounded offer and take responsibility for delivery. Keep notes about who participated, what they experienced, and what remains unknown. A few conversations can guide the next investigation without representing an entire market.

A useful exercise: Choose a recent customer task to investigate. Identify the user, the buyer, the current alternative, and one specific uncertainty. Only then decide whether you need an interview, a sample, or a defined pilot.