I like to check if the problem my company is trying to solve is the problem they are having. "Do you have a lot of unedited content?" Then once I've edited their content. "Do you feel anyone else would benefit from this service? Could you connect me with them?"
The mom test is so awesome to show me how I've been doing customer interviews wrong. But it's not very good (to me) how do actually do them right. If you have found other tools helpful, I'd love to hear!
Absolutely! The basic premise of the book is that a (potential) founder should NOT propose their idea/product solution first to their potential user, but interrogate them about their problem(s). Proposing the solution first is an indirect way of seeking validation. The interrogated users should recommendably NOT be a family member, or a friend because those will never tell someone the absolute truth. Why? Coz they love the founder, & so don't wanna hurt their ego.
Chapters (Powered by ChapterMe) - 00:00 - Introduction 00:26 - Outline 00:42 - Best founders learn from their users 01:53 - Airbnb story 03:23 - Who should i talk to? 04:13 - Illustrate the process with a mock startup 04:37 - Plan 04:49 - Who will I speak with 05:09 - What I am looking to learn 05:58 - How to interview potential customers. 07:08 - Example customer interview 08:43 - Specific questions to ask when interviewing 09:42 - Follow ups & Don't ask these questions 11:13 - Focus on features instead of solutions. 11:41 - Examples - Gmail & Airbnb 12:41 - Next steps 13:33 - Is solving this problem valuable? 14:37 - MVP prototype session interviews 17:04 - Summary
Your video quality is the best while your sound quality is like from Zoom, I am listing on a headphones and sometimes it is very loud. Please invest in a proper shotgun mic. Thank you. Your channel is very helpful. Cheers.
I've actually found out that talking to users is extremely hard, when you overcome your initial shyness, your potential clients don't respond. They flag the email as spam or don't even read it. I'll have to get creative with how I approach customers I guess, because I've tried sending emails and messages through linked in just like Gustaf suggested in the video and no one even responded.
I am a bit confused by this approach. The other YC video on this channel said how you start a startup and do not do dozens of user interviews, but build a very basic and scrappy MVP to show to your customers. Still this one mentions the opposite, interview customers and then build. Which is it then?
Probably when Airbnb started, they are passionate about their users, but not anymore. I work overseas and a regular Airbnb customer in the past, but I find Airbnb sucks in their customer service! You can't talk to anybody or even send a message to Airbnb to bring up some issues! Maybe when a company grows, the passion dies and the dollars & sense took over. If a better company were to compete with Airbnb, I would be glad to try the new company!
Nice video. What would be a follow up is: what are the signs that you should look for in user interviews that would indicate that an idea is worth pursuing (or not).
I think he mentioned that in the video. 1. See if people are paying for other solutions for the problem you're solving. 2. Did you have the same problem and how did you try solving it for yourself? 3. Evaluate how easy it is to sell your product/ solution.
Talking with customers on daily basis will give you invaluable insights on how to continuously developing new ideas and fixing the ones that are not working. This is why we created Customerly in the first place.
Just want to ask is that kind of situation exist or is that work? The MVP has been prove but not yet been built and invite the customers (here I referring the some business companies) work together to build it if they think the product is valuable. Many thanks.
Dear Y Combinator community, where do you publish your product to get testing and also get traction to your website? Any tip and lead will be a great help! Mind sharing?
Okay. I'm confused. The question "have you tried to solve this problem on their own". They must say yes. I get that. But does it matter if they have successfully solved it? Does it matter if they like that solution or not?
Hey Shrehith, great video! One request, can you share the articles you had written in the past for IPOs of companies? Trying to understand with a few examples
Some advice: Don't use the orange border for your thumbnails. The youtube 'already watched' progress bar is red and is easily confused with the orange border.
Why would users bother to spend time to answer your questions anyways? "Hey, I'm interested in learning about your problems" - "No, I'm busy all day, and my time is super valuable". Like, do you give them some money or renumeration for their time talking to you?
I like that you are trying, but there is so much wrong with this video. First reading from the script makes it feel very fake, Second pushing the woke climate agenda, Third content for actually how to talk to users is missing (fatal mistake).
What's your favorite question to ask potential users?
My favorite question is⭐ what's your ambition to your work?
A great final question "What other 2-3 people should I be talking to?"
What is a good number of users? Should I interview 10/200/500/1000 users? Of course there isn't a fixed answer but a scale would help.
I like to check if the problem my company is trying to solve is the problem they are having. "Do you have a lot of unedited content?" Then once I've edited their content. "Do you feel anyone else would benefit from this service? Could you connect me with them?"
Out of X problems you have described during our conversation, what’s the number 1 problem you wish someone could solve for you.
'The Mom Test' is by far the best book in case someone wants to dive deeper on this topic.
The mom test is so awesome to show me how I've been doing customer interviews wrong. But it's not very good (to me) how do actually do them right.
If you have found other tools helpful, I'd love to hear!
THIS
Absolutely! The basic premise of the book is that a (potential) founder should NOT propose their idea/product solution first to their potential user, but interrogate them about their problem(s). Proposing the solution first is an indirect way of seeking validation. The interrogated users should recommendably NOT be a family member, or a friend because those will never tell someone the absolute truth. Why? Coz they love the founder, & so don't wanna hurt their ego.
Thanks! Just bought it!
Just bought it!
Top notch content! “Don’t ask them for features; focus on their problems.”
Chapters (Powered by ChapterMe) -
00:00 - Introduction
00:26 - Outline
00:42 - Best founders learn from their users
01:53 - Airbnb story
03:23 - Who should i talk to?
04:13 - Illustrate the process with a mock startup
04:37 - Plan
04:49 - Who will I speak with
05:09 - What I am looking to learn
05:58 - How to interview potential customers.
07:08 - Example customer interview
08:43 - Specific questions to ask when interviewing
09:42 - Follow ups & Don't ask these questions
11:13 - Focus on features instead of solutions.
11:41 - Examples - Gmail & Airbnb
12:41 - Next steps
13:33 - Is solving this problem valuable?
14:37 - MVP prototype session interviews
17:04 - Summary
A gold mine! You can avoid a lot of pain as a founder if you get this right at the early stages.
This definitely changed my perspective of talking to the user !! Thank you Gustaf and team
this is an excellent summary that took me many years to learn the hard way.
Can't more agreed Gustaf, simple reminder most PMs should keep in mind. Good job!
Such a great talk! Thank you Gustaf and the Y Combinator team.
Your video quality is the best while your sound quality is like from Zoom, I am listing on a headphones and sometimes it is very loud. Please invest in a proper shotgun mic. Thank you. Your channel is very helpful. Cheers.
Love that you created examples. Above and beyond!! 🎉
I've actually found out that talking to users is extremely hard, when you overcome your initial shyness, your potential clients don't respond. They flag the email as spam or don't even read it. I'll have to get creative with how I approach customers I guess, because I've tried sending emails and messages through linked in just like Gustaf suggested in the video and no one even responded.
I am a bit confused by this approach. The other YC video on this channel said how you start a startup and do not do dozens of user interviews, but build a very basic and scrappy MVP to show to your customers. Still this one mentions the opposite, interview customers and then build. Which is it then?
Probably when Airbnb started, they are passionate about their users, but not anymore. I work overseas and a regular Airbnb customer in the past, but I find Airbnb sucks in their customer service! You can't talk to anybody or even send a message to Airbnb to bring up some issues!
Maybe when a company grows, the passion dies and the dollars & sense took over. If a better company were to compete with Airbnb, I would be glad to try the new company!
Nice video. What would be a follow up is: what are the signs that you should look for in user interviews that would indicate that an idea is worth pursuing (or not).
I think he mentioned that in the video.
1. See if people are paying for other solutions for the problem you're solving.
2. Did you have the same problem and how did you try solving it for yourself?
3. Evaluate how easy it is to sell your product/ solution.
This is really good! Wish there was more content like this!
so, what if the nobody actually wants to talk to you? is it a problem with idea or the founders?
It’s a problem with the advice in this video. Not based in reality
i like the way you show the real sample when you talk to users, thanks!
Great content, thank you very much for bringing this out.
Can we please have a similar video/essay on how the call will change for a D2C company?
Great video! I watched it twice - now and 2 months ago. Now I understand how this information is essential.
She was sooo excited to see you 😂 super cool and useful video.
Talking with customers on daily basis will give you invaluable insights on how to continuously developing new ideas and fixing the ones that are not working. This is why we created Customerly in the first place.
Thank you so much for your clarification. I have now some foundations to progress. 🥰
so much value video. Thanks a lot, Gustaf .
Thanks so much for this video it really clarified the thinking here.
Just want to ask is that kind of situation exist or is that work? The MVP has been prove but not yet been built and invite the customers (here I referring the some business companies) work together to build it if they think the product is valuable. Many thanks.
Dear Y Combinator community,
where do you publish your product to get testing and also get traction to your website?
Any tip and lead will be a great help!
Mind sharing?
Okay. I'm confused. The question "have you tried to solve this problem on their own". They must say yes. I get that.
But does it matter if they have successfully solved it? Does it matter if they like that solution or not?
Thank you Gustaf and team! Loved the talk!
Great talk. Would love more Airbnb and Gmail stories.
This is a fantastic series! I feel like it needs a standard send-off at the end, something like Thanks for watching, and ________!
Nice one Gustaf. Great course YC
This is fantastic insight
Invaluable! thank you for sharing
Great video bro!!. Thanks for sharing
Very insightful!
Thanks Gustaf
If I interview them then what stopping them from realizing there problem and becoming a customer of the competitor
Hey Shrehith, great video!
One request, can you share the articles you had written in the past for IPOs of companies? Trying to understand with a few examples
awesome, thank you
guys please fix the sound! As much as I love the videos they still make my life hard listening to valuable information
Does anyone have examples of how to run a Slack group for interviewees (while in ideation phase)? Its an amazing idea!
I believe he meant finding interviewees in existing online forums, not creating a new one.
This was fantastic. I’m building a Saas model software for hr and talent acquisition, and need a partner
Hi Natassia, I share similar passion in solving problem in that space. Got some research and ideas I can share. I'm interested.
Happy to hop on a call and provide feedback. Been working with recruiters at FAANG for last 7 years.
@@anasfirdousi that would be awesome. How do we proceed?
@@tochionuchukwu2394 hi. I’d love to learn about yours. How do we get in touch?
@@tochionuchukwu2394 Hello. How can we chat?
How many of you have read "The Mom Test"? 😆Raise hands! 🙌
Wow that’s so valuable. Thanks a lot!!!
This was really helpful
Really Really Great Video
Thanks so much
Some advice: Don't use the orange border for your thumbnails. The youtube 'already watched' progress bar is red and is easily confused with the orange border.
Thank you ❤️
I don’t particularly fall for people who are reading info out of a promter for the first time. Idk why ;)
Wow really??!!!!😮 Why's that ?????
waiting for this video😆❤
Mom's test by Rob Fitzpatrick and Hooked by Nir Eyal - Must reads
Great great awesome video
I love YC. I am looking for a co-founder.
what are you interested in building?
Great content !
07:17 mock interview
Why would users bother to spend time to answer your questions anyways? "Hey, I'm interested in learning about your problems" - "No, I'm busy all day, and my time is super valuable". Like, do you give them some money or renumeration for their time talking to you?
When you talk about their problems, they will be happy to talk to you. Of course you have to handle the conversation appropriately
Gold
We have a travel app. Making planning easy, simple, and quick. Is there anyone open to do a 5min zoom?
yes, I am full time traveller
It irritates when someone reading off of a teleprompter is obvious. Love the insights nonetheless.
Lose the teleprompter! Let the partners speak freely and edit out the mistakes.
👍
I like that you are trying, but there is so much wrong with this video. First reading from the script makes it feel very fake, Second pushing the woke climate agenda, Third content for actually how to talk to users is missing (fatal mistake).