1. Is My Idea Ready to Build?
Talk to 10+ potential customers
Not friends or family. People who would actually pay. Document their exact words.
Identify the specific pain point
Vague problems lead to vague products. Describe the pain in one sentence.
Confirm willingness to pay
Ask directly: would you pay $X/month for this?
Define your target customer
One specific type of person, not everyone.
Research existing solutions
What are they using today? Why is it insufficient?
Articulate your unfair advantage
Why are you uniquely qualified to solve this?
Validate market size
Is there a large enough market? TAM/SAM/SOM.
Define success metrics
What numbers tell you it is working after 90 days?
Write a one-page business plan
Forces clarity. Use our template.
Get one person to say I would buy this today
Not maybe. Not probably. Today.
2. MVP Launch Checklist
Core feature works end-to-end
Primary value proposition is functional.
User can sign up and onboard
First-time experience is smooth. 2-minute test.
Payment processing works
Stripe/payment integration tested with real transactions.
Email notifications configured
Welcome, transactional, password reset emails.
Error handling and logging
Application errors caught and logged.
Basic analytics installed
Track signups, activation, retention.
Mobile responsive
Test on iPhone and Android minimum.
Security basics
HTTPS, password hashing, input validation, rate limiting.
Legal pages published
Terms of Service, Privacy Policy.
Customer support channel
Email, chat, or help docs.
Landing page with clear value prop
What, who, how to start.
Social proof or credibility signals
Beta quotes, credentials, partner logos.
Launch announcement prepared
Product Hunt, social, email to waitlist.
Feedback collection mechanism
In-app survey, feedback button, user calls.
Monitoring and uptime alerts
Know when the app goes down.
3. Investor Meeting Prep
One-page business plan polished
Clear, no buzzwords. Reviewable in 2 minutes.
Pitch deck ready (10-12 slides)
Problem, Solution, Market, Product, Traction, Team, Model, Competition, Ask.
Know your numbers cold
MRR, growth, churn, CAC, LTV, burn, runway.
Demo ready
Working product, not slides.
Competitive landscape mapped
Know every competitor and your differentiation.
Clear ask
Exact amount, use of funds, milestones.
Due diligence materials organized
Cap table, financials, legal docs, bios.
Research the investor
Portfolio, thesis, recent deals.
Prepare for hard questions
Why now? What if Google does this? Biggest risk?
Practice the pitch 5+ times
With honest feedback. Time it.
Follow-up email drafted
Ready within 2 hours of meeting.
References ready
2-3 customers or advisors who can vouch for you.
4. Legal Checklist
Choose entity type
LLC for simplicity, Delaware C-Corp for VC.
Register the business
State registration, EIN, registered agent.
Founder agreement signed
Equity splits, vesting, roles, IP assignment.
IP assignment complete
All work owned by the company.
Terms of Service drafted
Governs product-user relationship.
Privacy Policy published
Required by law in most jurisdictions.
Contractor agreements
Signed agreements with IP assignment clauses.
Business insurance
General liability at minimum.
Trademark search completed
Check USPTO for name conflicts.
Bank account opened
Separate business account.
Accounting system set up
Track every dollar from day one.
Compliance requirements identified
HIPAA, SOC2, GDPR, PCI -- know what applies.
5. App Store Launch Checklist
App Store guidelines reviewed
Read before building, not after.
Icons and screenshots prepared
Multiple sizes for all devices.
App description optimized
Keywords in title and description.
Privacy labels completed
Both platforms require data disclosure.
Test on multiple devices
iPhone SE, iPhone 15, iPad, 2-3 Android devices.
Beta testing completed
TestFlight/Play internal testing. 10+ users.
Deep links configured
Marketing links open in the app.
Push notifications set up
Permission prompts and fallbacks.
App review submitted early
Apple review takes 1-7 days.
Rating prompts implemented
Ask after positive experiences.
Analytics integrated
Installs, DAU, session length, key actions.
Crash reporting enabled
Crashlytics or Sentry.
Launch marketing coordinated
Social, press, Product Hunt, email.
Post-launch support planned
Ticket handling, response times.
First update planned within 2 weeks
Shows active development.
6. Technical Due Diligence
Code in version control
Git repository with meaningful history.
Architecture documented
System diagram, tech stack, rationale.
Automated tests exist
Unit, integration, or E2E. Some is better than none.
CI/CD pipeline configured
Automated deployment, not manual uploads.
Security practices documented
Auth, encryption, access controls.
Database schema is sensible
Normalized, indexed, migration strategy.
Monitoring and logging
APM, error tracking, uptime monitoring.
Scalability plan
Current limits and 10x/100x plan.
Third-party dependencies audited
External services, costs, fallback plans.
Data backup and recovery
Automated backups, tested recovery.
API documentation
Internal or external APIs documented.
Technical debt acknowledged
Listing shortcuts shows maturity.