I wasted $3,000 learning this lesson. You can learn it for free.

October 29, 2025

Hey Starterpreneur,

Three years ago, I spent $3,000 on Facebook ads for a product nobody wanted.

The ad copy was great. The targeting was spot-on. The landing page converted at 8%. Everything looked perfect on paper.

Except for one tiny problem: I built the solution before I understood the problem.

Today, I'm sharing the validation framework I wish I'd used BEFORE spending a single dollar. It's saved me thousands since, and more importantly, it's saved me from building things that don't matter.

Here's what's inside this issue: The 7-day validation sprint that separates real opportunities from expensive mistakes, a startup idea for the AI era, a productivity tool I can't live without, and a challenge that'll get you real customer conversations this week.

The 7-Day Validation Sprint (Before You Build Anything)

Most entrepreneurs fall in love with their idea. Then they spend months building. Then they realize nobody actually wants it.

I've been that entrepreneur. Multiple times.

Here's the framework that changed how I approach every new business idea:

Day 1-2: The Problem Interview (10 conversations)

Don't pitch your solution. Don't even mention you're building something. Just ask about their problems.

Questions I actually use:

  • "What's the most frustrating part of [relevant area] right now?"

  • "How are you currently handling this?"

  • "If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing, what would it be?"

  • "Have you tried solving this before? What happened?"

The goal: Hear the same problem mentioned at least 6 out of 10 times. If you don't? Pick a different problem.

Day 3-4: The Willingness-to-Pay Test

Now that you know the problem is real, find out if people will actually pay for a solution.

Create a simple landing page (use Carrd, it takes 20 minutes). Describe the solution. Put a "Pre-order now" or "Join waitlist" button. Drive 100-200 people to it (Reddit, Facebook groups, LinkedIn posts, your existing audience).

The metric that matters: 5-10% of visitors leaving their email = you're onto something. Under 2%? The problem might not be painful enough.

Day 5-6: The Solution Interview (5 conversations)

Go back to some of the people from Day 1. Show them a mockup, a sketch, or just describe your solution.

Key questions:

  • "Would this solve your problem?"

  • "What's missing?"

  • "If this existed today, what would you be willing to pay?"

  • "When would you need this by?"

Watch for: Lukewarm responses like "That's interesting" or "I'd have to think about it." Those are polite rejections. You want "Where do I sign up?" or "I need this yesterday."

Day 7: The Pre-Sale Attempt

This is the ultimate validation: Ask for money BEFORE you build.

"I'm building this. It'll be ready in 6 weeks. If you commit today, I'll give you 50% off the launch price and personally onboard you."

The truth bomb: If people won't pre-pay (even at a discount), they probably won't pay at full price later.

I've run this sprint six times now. Three times, I discovered the idea wasn't worth pursuing. Three times, I had paying customers before writing a single line of code.

That $3,000 lesson? Worth every penny—but you don't have to repeat my mistake.

🔥 Weekly Spark

Business Startup Idea of the Week: AI Prompt Library for Specific Industries

Everyone's using ChatGPT, but most people suck at prompting. Here's the gap: Industry-specific prompt templates that deliver consistent results.

Pick a niche (real estate agents, wedding photographers, personal trainers, therapists). Create 50-100 proven prompts for their specific use cases: client emails, social media captions, contract templates, FAQ responses, marketing copy.

Sell it as a one-time purchase ($47-97) or subscription ($19/month) with new prompts added monthly. Package it on Gumroad or as a Notion template. Market it where your niche hangs out.

Low overhead. High margins. Solves a real problem.

Tool of the Week: Notion AI

I finally caved and tried Notion AI, and I'm annoyed I waited so long. It's not just for writing—it's killer for organizing thoughts, creating outlines, and brainstorming. I use it to turn voice notes into structured documents, generate content calendars, and even summarize long research articles. $10/month. Worth every cent if you're drowning in information.

Book of the Week: "The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick

This book is THE bible for customer validation. Fitzpatrick teaches you how to talk to customers so they can't lie to you—even when they're trying to be nice. The core principle: Don't ask if your idea is good. Ask about their life and problems. If you're building anything, read this first. It's short, practical, and will save you years of wasted effort.

Mindset Hack of the Week: The "I Don't Know Yet" Principle

Stop pretending you have all the answers. When someone asks a question you're unsure about, say: "I don't know yet, but I'll find out." It's honest. It builds trust. And it removes the pressure to be perfect. The best entrepreneurs aren't know-it-alls—they're fast learners. Embrace the "yet."

⚡ Weekly Build Challenge

Your Challenge: Run Day 1-2 of the validation sprint this week.

Here's exactly what to do:

  1. Pick one business idea you're curious about

  2. Identify 10 people who have the problem you think you can solve

  3. Reach out and schedule 15-minute conversations (coffee, Zoom, phone—whatever works)

  4. Ask about their problems—NOT your solution

  5. Document what you hear in a simple spreadsheet

Pro tip: Don't overthink the outreach message. Try: "Hey [Name], I'm researching challenges in [area] and would love to learn from your experience. Could I grab 15 minutes of your time this week? Happy to buy you coffee/send you a gift card."

Response rate is usually 30-40%. You need 10 conversations, so reach out to 25-30 people.

🎨 Creators Corner: What's Next?

Next week, I'm sharing the "Content Remix" system I promised—the exact process for turning one core idea into 12 pieces of content in under 2 hours.

No more content overwhelm. No more scrambling for ideas. Just one smart framework and the Notion template I use to batch everything.

Plus, I'll show you how I repurposed a single newsletter into a LinkedIn carousel, Twitter thread, Instagram story, YouTube short, and blog post—all in 90 minutes.

Build what people actually want, not what you think they need.

The validation sprint isn't sexy. But it's the difference between building a business and building an expensive hobby.

Now go have some conversations.

Basat - The Starterpreneur

P.S. Hit reply and tell me: What idea are you validating this week? I want to hear about it—and I'll respond with feedback if you want it.

P.P.S. Know someone who's about to waste time building the wrong thing? Forward them this issue. Sometimes the best help is a reality check.