An idea is not a business until somebody pays. In this episode of Optimized Entrepreneur with Jeremy Hanson — Episode 2 of the “10 Steps to Know You’re Ready” series — validation comes before the truck, the logo, and the speech to your spouse.

Friends saying “I’d buy that” is not proof. A stranger paying, a job booked, a price that survives contact with real costs — that is proof. Test the demand first. Spend second.

You’ll learn

• Why most ideas should die cheap
• How to test demand without building the whole company
• The difference between compliments and customers
• What “validated” actually looks like
• How to keep excitement from writing checks the market has not earned

FAQ How do you validate a business idea? Put the offer in front of real buyers and see if they pay — or tell you th ...