MRT / Field guide 01 — Business experiments
Test the idea. Then build the thing.
The first job of a new idea isn’t to become a business. It’s to survive a small, honest test. Before you spend weeks building, find out whether the problem matters to someone other than you.
Choose one person and one problem.
“People who want to make money online” is too broad to build for. Try a specific person in a specific situation: an independent publisher who spends Friday afternoon assembling the same sales report. Write down what they’re trying to do, what gets in the way, and what they use now.
Look for behavior, not compliments.
Talk to a few people who fit that description. Ask when the problem last happened and what they did about it. Have them walk you through their current workaround. “That sounds cool” is pleasant; repeated effort, money spent, or an ugly spreadsheet is more useful evidence.
Make the smallest honest offer.
Describe one concrete outcome, who it’s for, and what it would cost. You might deliver it manually before building software or start with a live workshop before recording a course. Be explicit about what exists today, what doesn’t, and the delivery or refund terms.
Decide what counts before the test.
Set a limit on the time and money you’ll spend. Choose a signal that represents real interest: a paid pilot, a booked call with the right customer, or someone sharing the information you need to solve their problem. Decide in advance what would make you continue, change direction, or stop.
Write the result down.
Record the offer, audience, effort, costs, response, and what surprised you. A test that tells you not to build can be a very good result. Keep the lesson even when you discard the idea.