Answers.Founder questions, by Humble

Answers.

Straight answers to the questions first-time founders actually ask, every claim sourced. A new one every day.

The Humble Edge · Sunday email

One founder problem and one thing to do before Monday.

First customers · The question

Should your first customers get it free?

A founding price gets you early users and tells you whether they value what you've built. Free only does the first.

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Validate · The question

Is a waitlist proof that people want your product?

A waitlist proves interest. Here's how to turn it into evidence of demand before the interest fades.

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Idea · The argument

Is SaaS dead? Wrong question

What's dying is generic software sold to people who can now build it themselves. Software tied to a specific, painful problem is selling fine.

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Built it, nobody came · The question

I have visitors but no sign-ups. Where is it breaking?

Before you redesign the page, check whether you have enough visitors to judge it, and whether they're the right people.

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Validate · The tool

The Problem Receipt: write the problem the way your customer says it

One sentence in your customer's words, with what the problem costs them and what they do about it today. Here's how to fill it in, and a free copy.

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Built it, nobody came · The answer

I launched and nobody's buying. What to do on Monday

Find out which of three things is broken, the people, the problem or the offer, and fix that one before you build anything else.

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First customers · The answer

How to find your first ten customers

Slack, Gusto and Shopify found theirs by hand, through people they knew and places their customers already gathered. Here's how to do the same in a week.

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Validate · The answer

How to validate a business idea

Find the belief your idea can't survive without, and test it this month with something that could prove you wrong.

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How we write

Four rules for every piece.

  • One question per pieceEach answers something founders actually ask, in public, this year.
  • Every claim sourcedNumbers and quotes link to the page they came from. Guesses are labelled as guesses.
  • Nothing inventedNo made-up founders, stories or results.
  • Kept currentPieces are re-dated when the facts change. Spot something wrong? Email info@humble.inc.