DREIESKIVA​|Roald Kvam

Many aspiring entrepreneurs fall into a common trap: falling in love with an idea before knowing whether anyone truly needs it. In the excitement of innovation, it’s tempting to rush into product development — designing features, writing code, or even seeking funding — before validating whether the idea actually solves a real-world problem.

The truth is this: No matter how brilliant your idea sounds to you, it must survive the test of reality. That’s where idea validation and problem–solution fit come in — essential steps to minimize risk, save time, and build something people genuinely want.

In this article, we’ll explore what idea validation really means, how to achieve problem–solution fit, and the key tools and mindset shifts every entrepreneur needs at the earliest stages of building a business.

What is problem–solution fit?

Problem–solution fit is the first milestone on the road to startup success. It means you’ve identified a real problem worth solving, and you’ve come up with a potential solution that resonates with the people who experience that problem.

It doesn’t mean you’ve built the perfect product yet. That comes later, with product–market fit. Problem–solution fit is earlier — and often overlooked.

At this stage, your main goal is to answer:

• Is this a real problem?
• Who exactly experiences this problem — and how intensely?
• Will people care enough about your solution to consider using or paying for it?

Why it matters

Startups don’t fail because of poor execution alone — they often fail because they’re solving a problem that’s either not real, not painful, or not urgent. When you build before you validate, you risk wasting months (or years) on a product no one truly needs.

Idea validation protects you from this.

It’s not about proving your idea is perfect. It’s about testing whether it’s worth pursuing.

Steps to validate your idea and reach problem–solution fit

1. Start with the problem, not the product
   Begin by describing the problem you believe exists. Be specific. Avoid generalizations like “people want to save money” or “people are frustrated with emails.” Who exactly are “people”? In what context does the problem show up? How often?

Tool: Problem Statement Template
“We believe that [specific group] struggles with [specific problem] when they [context or situation].”

Example:
We believe that small café owners struggle with last-minute staff absences when they manage scheduling through spreadsheets.

2. Talk to real people
   Customer discovery is your most powerful tool. Have open-ended conversations with people who match your intended user or customer. Ask about their habits, frustrations, and how they currently deal with the problem — without pitching your idea.

Tips for effective interviews:

• Ask “why” multiple times.
• Look for emotional responses (frustration, relief, excitement).
• Focus on what they do, not just what they say.

Aim to conduct 10–20 conversations before drawing early conclusions.

3. Identify patterns & pain points
   After your interviews, analyze the insights:

• Are there recurring pain points?
• Is the problem important and frequent?
• How do people currently try to solve it?
• Are they spending time or money on workaround solutions?

If the problem seems mild or people don’t care enough to act, it may not be worth solving yet — or you may need to pivot your idea.

4. Test the concept
   Once you’re confident about the problem, introduce a lightweight version of your proposed solution. This could be:

• A one-page concept summary.
• A clickable mock-up.
• A landing page with a waitlist or sign-up form.
• A concierge-style service where you manually deliver the solution.

Measure interest, not just compliments. Do people click? Sign up? Commit to a demo? Offer to pay?

5. Prioritize early adopters
   Not everyone will resonate with your solution — and that’s okay. Focus on the segment of users who feel the pain most acutely and are most eager for a solution. These are your early adopters.

They are more forgiving of early imperfections and more likely to give you honest feedback.

6. Refine your Value Proposition
   Based on what you’ve learned, develop a clear value proposition:

• Who it’s for
• What problem it solves
• What makes your solution better or different

Tool: Value Proposition Canvas
This framework helps map customer pains, gains, and jobs to your product features and benefits.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Confirmation bias: Only hearing what supports your idea. Challenge your assumptions.
• Talking to the wrong people: Make sure your interviewees actually match your target audience.
• Pitching too early: Don’t try to “sell” your idea in discovery interviews. Listen first.
• Mistaking interest for commitment: Likes and compliments are not validation. Commitment (time, money, sign-up) is.

Idea Validation doesn’t end here

Even after you validate the problem and early concept, ongoing testing and iteration are key. As you move toward building a minimum viable product (MVP), continue engaging users, gathering feedback, and refining your solution.

Think of idea validation as a mindset — not a checkbox. It’s about humility, curiosity, and a willingness to learn from your market before assuming you know the answer.

— — —

Successful startups don’t start with perfect ideas. They start with curiosity, clear problem definition, and fast, honest feedback.

Problem–solution fit is the foundation. Get it right, and you give your business a much stronger chance of finding product–market fit, attracting early users, and building something that truly matters.

Before you build it, validate it. Because the most valuable product you can create is one that someone truly needs.