<p>Hey friends 👋</p><p>We’re going deep on something that’s probably killing your startup right now: untested assumptions.</p><p>Fresh off workshops with David Bland and our GrowTECH Fest session, we’re breaking down the assumption-to-evidence cycle that separates fundable startups from wishful thinking.</p><p>Here’s what you need to know: A startup is literally just an organization searching for a business model. And this cycle—identify, define, design, measure, decide, repeat—IS that search. Master this, and you’ve cracked the code on what actually determines startup success.</p><p>We walk through three real-world scenarios (okay, Claude made them up, but they’re painfully realistic):</p><p>* The marketplace founder building supply before proving demand exists</p><p>* The SaaS team building integrations instead of validating their go-to-market</p><p>* The subscription service doubling down on “quality” without understanding why customers actually churn</p><p>Each one shows how reasonable-sounding decisions can hide fatal assumptions.</p><p>The pattern? Founders building solutions to problems they haven’t proven exist, for customers they haven’t validated will pay. Sound familiar?</p><p>We break down exactly how to proportion your effort to your evidence, why customer interviews beat surveys every time, and how to spot the difference between interest and intent.</p><p>Plus: Our Frivolous Thoughts segment covers barn burners, the Kings’ victory, and JDM’s questionable Dodgers fandom (Cameron is NOT pleased).</p><p>Join us for a live recording on November 19th at the Carlson Center during Global Entrepreneurship Week—bring your toughest questions!</p><p>—Cameron and JDM</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://zerototraction.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">zerototraction.substack.com</a>
