Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Problem interviews done
2–3 weeks
Run at least 5 problem interviews with people who match your target customer. Don't pitch or mention your solution. Ask about their current life, their frustrations and what they've already tried. Find out if the problem is real, frequent and worth paying to fix. Keep a written record of each interview. End with an honest verdict, including any evidence against your idea.
Proof required
Submit notes or transcripts from at least 5 problem interviews. For each, give the person's role and context; full names aren't needed. Record the problem they described, how they handle it now and how painful it is. Add a 100+ word synthesis: validated, partly validated or invalidated.
What gets checked
- Five distinct people who match the target customer, with each person's role described. Repeat interviews, supportive friends or family, or off-profile people don't count.
- Notes use the customer's own words. 'They confirmed the problem' is a summary, not evidence.
- The synthesis includes contradictory evidence. Anyone who called it minor or already solved must appear.
Common mistakes
- Pitching during the interview. Courtesy then contaminates every answer; save the solution for Milestone 2.
- Only interviewing people who already agree. Recruit through cold outreach or neutral communities instead.
- Stopping at 'yes, it's a problem'. Ask how often, what they've tried and what they've paid.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
Arena
What a verifier looks for
- Look for the customer's own words, not the founder's summary.
- Ask whether anyone called the problem minor or solved. Real interviews usually produce some surprise.
- Ask who the target customer is and how each person was recruited. Five personal contacts means weak evidence.
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Solution validation
2–3 weeks
Test interest in your solution, not just the problem. Show at least 5 target customers something concrete. A landing page, mockup, prototype or live demo works. Don't ask 'would you use this?'; that invites courtesy. Watch what they do instead. Follow-up questions, trying it, and asking about price or sign-up are signals. Record what you showed, how each person responded, and what you changed.
Proof required
Submit three things. First, a link or screenshot of what you showed. Second, notes from 5+ conversations recording what each person did or asked. Third, a 100+ word note on what you changed or cut.
What gets checked
- The artifact exists and is linked or shown. A plan to build something doesn't count.
- Notes record behaviour, not promises. 'They said they'd use it' doesn't count.
- At least one feature was added, cut or changed because of what customers showed you.
Common mistakes
- Building for weeks before showing anyone. The artifact should take days; a landing page is enough.
- Only showing enthusiasts. Include at least one person who was sceptical in the problem interviews.
- Treating 'they liked it' as validation. Ask what would need to be true to use it next week.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Open the artifact. Without it, this milestone hasn't happened.
- Ask what people did during the demo. Did anyone ask about sign-up or price?
- Ask for the most surprising thing a customer said. No surprise suggests filtered responses.
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Pre-sales confirmed
1–2 weeks
Secure at least one real pre-sale before building the full product. 'I'll pay when it's ready' costs nothing and predicts nothing. A real pre-sale needs a deposit of any amount or a signed letter of intent. A purchase order also counts. So does a written email committing to a price and timeline. The test is commitment cost.
Proof required
Submit evidence of at least one real pre-sale. A payment receipt, signed letter of intent or written price commitment works. Add a 100+ word account of what you offered and asked. Say how they responded.
What gets checked
- Money moved, or a named person signed a specific price and delivery. Verbal interest and signups don't count.
- The buyer matches the target customer from Milestone 1. Friends, family or yourself don't count.
- The account is specific enough to judge whether the commitment is real. 'I asked and they agreed' isn't.
Common mistakes
- Treating email signups as pre-sales. One real pre-sale beats 100 email addresses.
- Testing a price far below your planned price. It doesn't show people will pay the real price.
- Not asking. After real interest, ask for a founding-customer deposit in the next conversation.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Open the pre-sale evidence. Signups or verbal promises mean this milestone isn't done.
- Ask who the buyer is and how they were found. Personal obligation weakens the signal.
- Ask the quoted price versus the planned launch price. A large gap weakens the proof.
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