THE STARTUP JOURNEY
Find the decision that matters now.
A startup can be advanced in one area and exposed in another. Use these six stages to find the earliest unresolved dependency, the evidence that matters, and the next decision it should support.
Is this worth building?
Find a problem people already spend time, money, or effort trying to solve.
Evidence: Repeated painful workarounds, switching behaviour, payment, and specific pilot commitments.
Explore the validate stageWhat should we build?
Build only what is necessary to answer the next important question.
Evidence: Observed workflow needs, prototype task completion, feasibility evidence, and a bounded product hypothesis.
Explore the build stageCan this become a viable business?
Separate a useful product from a company that can capture enough value to survive.
Evidence: Actual pricing decisions, delivery costs, repeat purchases, retention, and a clear buyer.
Explore the commercialise stageCan demand become repeatable revenue?
Connect a precise audience, a credible promise, and a sales motion that works.
Evidence: Qualified demand, conversion, onboarding success, customer retention, and channel economics.
Explore the go-to-market stageWhat capital fits the next milestone?
Choose capital around what the company needs to prove, with ownership and future rounds in view.
Evidence: A costed milestone, credible customer evidence, financial visibility, ownership clarity, and a defined investor process.
Explore the fundraise stageCan this grow without breaking?
Prove repeatability before multiplying operational, financial, and market exposure.
Evidence: Durable demand, unit economics, delivery quality, management capacity, and a tested operating model.
Explore the scale stage