How it works
How I work with you
You may be deciding which problem to work on, what to build or what to try next. I help you compare your options and decide what to do. We start with one question about your product or idea.
Tell me what you are deciding
I ask what you need to decide, why it matters now and what you have tried. We also discuss your time and budget.
Before work starts, we agree in writing on the question, the work I will do, the fee and when you will receive the review.
Review what you know
Depending on your question, I may look at your idea or product, customer comments, usage numbers or what you have tried to find customers. We agree on what I will review and whether any new research is needed.
I explain which details came from you, which I checked and which are my own interpretation. If something important is missing, I tell you.
Compare your options
I look at the choices available to you and what supports each one. That might mean comparing customer groups, choosing between features or working out why people stop using your product.
I also consider what people already use and whether changing your product would help. Sometimes the advice may be to keep what you have, learn more or stop work on an idea.
Get a written recommendation
Your Founder Decision Review sets out the options I considered, what I recommend and why. It also explains what is still uncertain.
If I recommend a test, I describe what to try, what to watch for and how the result could change my advice. The test should fit your time and budget. If you need more information first, I explain what to find out.
The review includes one round of questions so you can ask about the advice.
Review what happened
The service includes one later review of your test results. I look at what happened, whether it answers your original question and what I would suggest next.
If the results are unclear, I explain what we still do not know. We agree in advance on when you will send results and what happens if you do not run the test.
Where research helps
Research can help answer part of your question. I may look at other products or public accounts of a problem when that is part of our agreed work. I consider what I find alongside the information about your own business.
Public posts can suggest questions worth checking with possible customers. They cannot establish whether people will buy your product.
How I check public research
Check for repeated accounts
I avoid counting the same person's story several times. Different accounts may belong to one person, and people may repeat something they read elsewhere. When that is unclear, I note it.
Look for useful detail
A useful account explains what happened, what the person tried and why it mattered. I look for details that help answer the question being researched.
Separate reports from interpretation
I distinguish what people reported from my interpretation and unanswered questions. I use counts only when I can explain what was counted and show the records behind them.
Check what people already use
People may use another product, a spreadsheet, an ordinary AI tool or help from someone else. They may also choose to live with the problem. I consider these options before suggesting that a new product is needed.
Check claims about payment
A listed price does not show that anyone bought the product. Saying "I would pay" is different from making a purchase. I make clear whether a purchase was reported or checked.
Leave out misleading counts
I do not count repeated posts, general advice or sales claims as separate reports of customer need. A comment can still be useful if the writer describes their own problem.
Look beyond the problem
You still need to find out who can buy, how to reach them and why they would choose your product. You also need to understand the cost of finding and serving those customers. One confirmed purchase does not show how many other people will buy.
Explain the limits
People who post online do not represent everyone. Their accounts may leave out important details, and information about other products can go out of date. Small tests can also give misleading results.
Some older guides score ideas in twelve areas. Those scores help organize research. They do not establish whether a business will work or decide the advice I give a client.
Handle sources and private information carefully
Research articles include relevant links and dates. A source link may reveal the writer's name even if it is not shown on my page.
Before you share private business information, I explain how it will be handled. You can read the arrangements on the privacy page.