Workshop
Startup Workshop
The Startup Workshop walks founders through every stage of company building: discovering real problems, testing assumptions with customers, shaping a minimum viable product, finding product-market fit, and preparing to raise capital. Each topic combines plain-English explanations, worked examples, and templates you can adapt.
Topics in this workshop
Startup Validation
Pressure-test the riskiest assumptions in your idea before you build.
Open topic →MVP Planning
Scope a first product small enough to ship and useful enough to learn from.
Open topic →Customer Discovery
Run interviews that surface real demand instead of polite encouragement.
Open topic →Fundraising
Understand pre-seed to Series A mechanics, terms, and timing.
Open topic →Pitch Decks
Structure a 10-slide story investors can read in 90 seconds.
Open topic →Product-Market Fit
Measure fit honestly with the Sean Ellis test, retention, and pull signals.
Open topic →Go-To-Market Strategy
Pick a beachhead, build a wedge, and earn your first 100 customers.
Open topic →What you'll produce
Outcomes
- A written, testable hypothesis for your startup idea
- A customer discovery plan with target interviewees and questions
- An MVP definition with explicit out-of-scope items
- A draft pitch narrative ready to share with advisors
Startup Workshop - FAQ
- Is this for first-time founders?
- Yes. Every topic starts with first principles and links out to deeper material for experienced operators.
- How long does the workshop take?
- You can read the hub in 20 minutes. Working through the exercises typically takes 4 to 8 hours.
- Do I need a co-founder to use this?
- No. Solo founders benefit from the same frameworks, with extra emphasis on focus and outsourcing.
Articles
Deeper reading on Startup
How To Validate A Startup Idea Without Building Anything
A step-by-step playbook for testing a startup idea using customer interviews, smoke tests, and pre-orders before writing a single line of code.
9 min read30 Customer Discovery Interview Questions That Actually Work
The exact questions to ask in customer discovery interviews to uncover real problems, current workarounds, and willingness to pay.
5 min readHow To Write An Elevator Pitch That Earns A Second Meeting
A four-line template for an elevator pitch that explains what you do, who you serve, why it matters, and what to do next.
9 min readFinding Product-Market Fit: Signals, Tests, and Traps
How to recognize product-market fit using the Sean Ellis test, retention curves, organic pull, and other concrete signals.
14 min readTesting Business Ideas: A Practical Guide To Validation Before You Build
A practical guide to testing business ideas with smoke tests, concierge MVPs, and customer interviews — so you only build what people actually want.