How I'm Focusing My Efforts
A few days ago, a friend asked me a question that cut right to the heart of my startup approach: What’s the fastest way to revenue for you?
I could tell he wasn’t asking just out of curiosity—he wanted to help me focus, to get straight to what matters most in an early-stage startup. Revenue, after all, is the surest signal that an idea has found its market. No revenue, no business. It’s a deceptively simple but powerful question for anyone in the startup trenches.
His question got me thinking: I want revenue, yes, but I also see a few levels before diving into pure revenue focus. These levels are my way of testing, refining, and ensuring I’m building something that can truly stick. Here’s how I’m approaching it:
Level 1: Build a Product I Want to Use Daily
I started this project because I needed a better way to learn. So, the first test is simple: can I build something I’m genuinely motivated to engage with every day? If I’m not using the product, I can’t expect anyone else to. This is my personal litmus test—my own version of market validation.
My goal is to accomplish this level by the end of the year. I’m heavy into product development right now to get the first version of the product done.
Level 2: Alpha Testing with 10-15 Hand-Picked Users
Once I’m sold, I’ll bring in a small, carefully chosen group of users who fit my ideal profile: they love to learn and are actively seeking better ways to do it. This is my “alpha test.” I’ll ask these users to record their first experience with the app and give me raw, unfiltered feedback. The goal here isn’t just testing functionality but deeply understanding their experience. I’ll pass this level if at least 80% of these users are engaged daily.
Level 3: Expanding to a Pool of 50 Core Users
With solid feedback in hand, I’ll expand the test pool to around 50 users—again, hand-selected people who I believe will connect with the product. My goal remains the same: high engagement, with at least 80% daily active use. These are still users I know in some way, but this larger pool helps me refine the experience, ensuring it’s not just a good idea but something that can scale in relevance and appeal.
Level 4: Semi-Public Launch and Broader Engagement
Once I see high engagement in the initial groups, I’ll widen the reach. Here, I’ll ask each of my 50 core users to refer someone they think would love the product. My aim is to get to a user base of 100+ people, this time with a significant portion I don’t know personally. It’s a critical step to validate that the product holds appeal beyond my immediate network. To pass this stage, I’m still looking for that high engagement—daily, consistent use.
Pricing Validation Along the Way
Throughout each stage, I’ll also be experimenting with pricing, gently. I’ll ask users questions like:
What price would make this product a no-brainer?
What price feels a bit too high but still worth it?
This feedback helps me get a sense of perceived value and price tolerance. By the end of these stages, I’ll be ready to turn on pricing for this broader 100+ user pool and see who sticks around. If daily engagement is high, I expect that many will find the product worth paying for.
In Summary
My goal is revenue, but I’m taking a structured approach to get there. First, I’ll build something I want to use myself. Then, I’ll extend it to a hand-picked group, looking for strong engagement and product love. If I hit those milestones, revenue won’t just be an end goal—it’ll be an organic outcome of building something people truly value.