Hey there! I'm Philipp, and after founding multiple companies (including my latest venture PostFlow), I've learned a thing or two about validating business ideas. Today, I want to share some hard-earned wisdom about figuring out if your idea is worth pursuing.

The "Scratch Your Own Itch" Principle

You know what's funny? The best business ideas often come from solving your own damn problems. I learned this firsthand while building PostFlow. As a content creator, I was constantly struggling with content ideation and scheduling. Instead of just complaining about it, I decided to fix it myself.

Why This Approach Works

You understand the problem intimately
You're your first test user
You actually give a shit about solving it

The Market Reality Check

But here's the thing - just because you have a problem doesn't mean others do. Or as I like to say: "Your weird might not be everyone's weird."

How to Validate Your Market

Talk to Potential Users

Don't just sit in your room thinking about it. Get out there and talk to people who might have the same problem. When I was developing PostFlow, I spent countless hours talking to other content creators about their struggles with content creation and scheduling.

Look for Right-to-Play

Ask yourself: "Why the hell should I be the one doing this?" In my case, having run an innovation consultancy (Reruption) and hosting the #buildinpublic podcast gave me unique insights into content creation challenges.

The Passion Factor

Here's something I've learned while splitting my time between Mallorca and Stuttgart (yeah, tough life, I know 😉): If you're only in it for the money, you're gonna have a bad time.

The Reality Check Questions:

Does this idea make you excited to get out of bed?
Would you work on it even if you weren't getting paid?
Can you see yourself still giving a damn about it in 2 years?

The Process of Discovery

Look, I'm not gonna bullshit you - you can never be 100% sure if an idea will work. It's always a process of discovery. Just like when I'm mountain biking (one of my favorite hobbies), sometimes you gotta take the trail to know if it's worth riding.

Steps to Discovery:

Start with your gut feeling
Test it with potential users
Build a minimal version
Iterate based on feedback

A Personal Example

When I started PostFlow, I noticed how much time I was wasting trying to come up with content ideas and scheduling posts across different platforms. It was driving me nuts! As a podcast host and consultant, I knew others were facing the same challenges.

So I built a tool that analyzes video content (like podcast episodes or talks) and automatically generates social media posts in your voice. Then it schedules them across platforms. Problem solved!

The Bottom Line

Here's the real talk: The best ideas often come from solving problems you personally understand and care about. If you're just chasing trends or trying to make a quick buck, you're probably gonna fail.

And hey, if you're struggling with content creation and scheduling like I was, check out PostFlow. The first 30 scheduled pieces are on the house. Just saying! 😉

Remember, as someone who's been building in public and helping enterprises innovate (when I'm not sailing or being the cool uncle to my three nieces/nephews), the key is to start with problems you understand deeply.

Now get out there and build something that matters - to you first, and hopefully to others too!

P.S. If you want to hear more about building in public and growth hacking, check out my podcast. I share more stories and practical advice there, usually while trying not to sound too German. 🍻

How to Know If Your Idea Is Worth Pursuing: A Founder's Perspective