Solve Real Problems That People Will Pay For Where You Add Unique Value

After a year of note taking and tinkering in a startup, here are 3 tests that I will use to filter future ideas. My opinion is that I have been too superficial in my evaluation of opportunities. All of them look great on the surface but, once examined closer, reveal a mountain of overlooked challenges. This test in 3 part aims to filter the avalanche of ideas that come to me on a daily basis:

1. Solving my own problem(s)
   Solving someone else’s problem is rewarding. Solving my own is even more so because I am intimate with the problem and the solution is guaranteed to help at least 1 person.
2. $$$ Trail
   Some call it touching money, all successful venture advocate it: a path to profitability.A lot can be said on the matter but for the sake of brevity, any solution that doesn’t allow me to immediately charge for it should be discarded.
3. Real-World Validation
   Down with wishful thinking. Real answers are found inside customers’ heads, not mine. If I’m serious about building a solution that generates revenue, it’s going to have to prove its worth beyond closed door speculations. This means talking to people and listening. This means launching with a minimum viable product and improving.

Which I summarize as