Stop Building. Start Validating.

The #1 Mistake I See Founders Make (And How to Avoid It)

I’ve worked with hundreds of startup founders across the world — and I can tell you the biggest threat to your business isn’t funding, competition, or market timing.

It’s building something nobody wants.

Too many smart, capable founders waste months (sometimes years) building a product in stealth mode, only to launch to crickets. Why?

Because they skipped validation.

What Is Startup Validation (And Why It Matters)

Validation means testing your assumptions — about your product, your market, and your customer — before you invest serious time or money. It’s how you make faster, smarter, less expensive decisions.

Instead of perfecting a product in isolation, you get real-world feedback at every step. You don’t guess — you test.

The Lean Way to Validate Your Idea

I follow a simple 3-step process with the founders I advise:

1️⃣ Define What You’re Trying to Learn

Are you testing a problem, a feature, a price point, or the business model itself?

Example: “Will small businesses pay $29/month for AI-generated social media posts?”

2️⃣ Turn Assumptions Into Hypotheses

An assumption is a guess. A hypothesis is a testable statement.

Example: “If we build a landing page and 100 people visit, at least 10 will sign up for early access.”

3️⃣ Run Experiments

There are dozens of ways to validate an idea before you build anything. A few of my favorites:

• Landing pages with a call to action

• Explainer videos that test clarity

• Customer interviews to uncover real problems

• Concierge MVPs where you deliver value manually before building

• Pre-orders or letters of intent to test real buying intent

You Don’t Need to Build a Product to Validate It

Dropbox tested their concept with a 2-minute video.

Zappos started by selling shoes they didn’t even stock.

Buffer launched with a landing page and no product behind it.

They all did one thing right: they validated before they built.

The Hard Truth (And a Better Way Forward)

Validation doesn’t feel as exciting as building. It’s not sexy. It doesn’t impress your friends. But it saves your company.

If you’re serious about becoming a founder worth investing in, don’t just show me a pitch deck — show me proof.

Want Help Validating Your Idea?

I coach early-stage founders through this exact process.

If you’ve got a product idea but haven’t tested demand, let’s talk.

Better to adjust now than regret later.

📩 Book a 1:1 with me

Or DM me on LinkedIn

Gregory Scott Henson

Startup Advisor | 50x Angel Investor | 20x Founder | 4X CEO

Helping founders build smarter, not harder.