What's on this map
Startup: Idea to First 100 Users
Find the Idea
Spot Real Problems
Your Own Frustrations
Communities and Forums
Existing Product Reviews
Pick a Niche
Write Problem Statement
Validate the Idea
Customer Interviews
Ask About Past Behavior
Find Interview Candidates
Record Patterns
Competitor Research
Direct Competitors
Substitutes and Spreadsheets
Smoke Tests
Landing Page and Waitlist
Pre-sales or Deposits
Plan the Business
Value Proposition
Business Model
Subscription
Freemium
One-time Purchase
Pricing Hypothesis
Success Metrics
Legal and Admin
Choose Company Structure
Founder Agreement
Business Bank Account
Terms and Privacy Policy
Build the MVP
Define Core Features
Core User Flow
Cut Nice-to-Haves
Design
Sketches and Wireframes
Clickable Prototype
Technical Build
Pick Tech Stack
No-code Option
Authentication and Payments
Hosting and Domain
Analytics and Error Tracking
Test Before Launch
Alpha Testers
Fix Critical Bugs
Brand and Presence
Name and Logo
Website
Social Profiles
Founder Story
Launch
Private Beta
Public Launch Platforms
Product Hunt
Hacker News and Reddit
Launch Announcement
Get First 100 Users
Personal Network
Direct Outreach
Cold Emails and DMs
Warm Introductions
Community Participation
Content Marketing
Blog and SEO
Short Videos and Social Posts
Partnerships
Referrals
Small Paid Experiments
Onboard and Keep Users
Welcome Experience
Personal Onboarding Calls
Welcome Email Sequence
Support Channel
Feedback Loop
Feedback Form
Churn Interviews
Weekly Metrics Review
Iterate Weekly
Funding and Money
Bootstrapping
Grants and Competitions
Accelerators and Angels
Budget and Runway
Founder Habits
Weekly Goals
Find a Mentor
Avoid Burnout