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The Idea
Defining The Problem
The Fit
The Market
The Owner
Test 1 of 5
The Idea
Name it, describe it, and rate its clarity. An idea that cannot be described clearly in two sentences is not ready to be tested — it is still forming. That is fine. But be honest about where it actually is.
Give it a working title — even a rough one. Naming it makes it real.
What is it? Who is it for? What does it deliver?
How long have you been carrying this idea?
An idea that has been present for months or years without dying is telling you something.
DaysWeeksMonthsOver a yearYears
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How clearly can you describe what it is and what it does?
Not the potential — the actual thing. What does it deliver and to whom?
Still formingReasonably clearCrystal clear
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How excited are you about this idea right now — honestly?
Not how excited you were when it first arrived. Right now, today.
LukewarmGenuinely interestedHighly energised
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Test 2 of 5
Defining The Problem
Every idea worth pursuing solves a real problem or captures a real opportunity. Not a problem you imagined — a problem someone is actively experiencing right now and would pay to have solved.
How real and significant is the problem this idea solves?
Is this a genuine pain — something people lose sleep over, pay to fix, or complain about regularly? Or is it a nice-to-have?
Nice to haveReal but minorSignificant pain
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Have you personally witnessed or experienced this problem in your clients or market?
Evidence beats assumption. Direct observation beats secondhand reports.
AssumedHeard about itSeen it directly
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Does this idea solve a problem — or create a new possibility?
Both are valid. But be clear which one this is. Opportunities need different validation to problems.
OpportunityBothClear problem
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Is someone already solving this problem — and if so, how well?
Existing competition proves the market exists. No competition might mean no market. Bad existing solutions mean opportunity.
No competitionCompetitors existPoorly solved
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Test 3 of 5
The Fit
The best idea for your business is one that fits — your existing clients, your capabilities, your resources, and your direction. An idea that requires you to become a completely different business is not a new product line. It is a pivot — and that is a much bigger decision.
How well does this idea fit your existing clients and relationships?
Could you take this to clients you already have, or does it require a completely new client base?
New clients neededSome overlapNatural fit
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How well does this idea match your current capabilities and expertise?
Not what you could learn — what you already have. Ideas that stretch you too far fail not because they are wrong but because you are not equipped yet.
Significant gapsSome gapsStrong match
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Is this a new product line alongside existing work — or a pivot of the whole business?
New product line: lower risk, can be tested while existing business runs. Pivot: higher risk, requires a separate and larger decision process.
Full pivotPartial pivotNew product line
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Does this idea support or distract from your current business direction?
An idea that pulls your attention away from what is already working has a hidden cost. An idea that amplifies what is already working is a multiplier.
DistractionNeutralMultiplier
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Test 4 of 5
The Market
A good idea with no market is an expensive hobby. You need to know specifically who would buy this, whether they would pay what it costs to deliver, and how you get to the first three customers.
How specifically can you describe the person who would buy this?
"Business owners" is not specific enough. "Trade business owners with 5-20 staff who are struggling with safety compliance" is a market.
VagueReasonably clearVery specific
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Would they pay what it costs to deliver this — at a margin worth pursuing?
Have you done the numbers? Revenue minus cost of delivery equals margin. Is that margin worth the effort and risk?
UnlikelyPossiblyConfidently yes
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How clear is your path to the first three paying customers?
Not a marketing plan. Three actual names or specific types of people you could call next week. If you cannot name them, the market is still theoretical.
No ideaSome ideasClear path
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How large is the realistic market for this idea?
Not the total addressable market — the realistic slice you could serve with your current resources in the next 12 months.
Very smallModerateSignificant
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Test 5 of 5
The Owner
The hardest test. The idea might be real. The market might exist. But will you back this with everything you have? Your pattern, your belief, your willingness to push through the difficult middle — these determine whether a good idea becomes a working business.
How strongly do you believe this idea is the right thing for your business right now?
Not how much you like it — how much you believe in it. There is a difference. Belief drives execution through the difficult middle.
UncertainReasonably confidentDeeply convinced
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Do you have the capacity to pursue this alongside your current commitments?
Not "could I make time" — do you have time right now without compromising what is already working?
No capacityLimited capacityReal capacity
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Would you be willing to test a minimum viable version of this within 90 days?
Not the full version — a small, real, test. If the answer is no, that tells you something important about your actual level of commitment.
Not readyPossiblyYes — absolutely
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Does pursuing this idea align with where you personally want to take the business in the next 3 years?
An idea that is right for the business but wrong for where you want to go will run out of energy. Both have to be true.
MisalignedPartially alignedPerfectly aligned
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Which fear is loudest right now — capacity, credibility, or standard?
Capacity: I don't have time or resources. Credibility: what if I back this and it fails publicly. Standard: the idea is perfect in my head and I'm afraid to test it. Rate how much any fear is holding you back from this idea.
No fearSome hesitationFear is loud
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Which fear is loudest?
The one you are most aware of is usually not the one doing the most work.
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