The two-week probe: test an idea before it eats a year
A Fit Report ends with an experiment, not a verdict. Here’s how to run it.
The Founder Market Fit team4 min read
A match is a hypothesis. The fastest way to find out if it’s right is to put it in front of the people who’d pay — cheaply, and with a clear line for when to stop.
The shape of a good probe
- Two weeks, max. Long enough to get real signal, short enough that you won’t fall in love with it.
- One buyer. Name the role. “Finance leads at agent startups,” not “businesses.”
- One kill line, written first. “If fewer than three of ten ask for a follow-up, I stop.”
A default plan
- Days 1–2: write the one-paragraph problem statement and a list of 20 buyers you can reach.
- Days 3–9: ten conversations. Ask about the last time the problem hurt, not about your idea.
- Days 10–12: a one-page offer or landing page. Ask for something small: a call, a pilot, a deposit.
- Days 13–14: compare against your kill line. Log what you learned in your Fit Report.
A probe you can’t fail isn’t a probe.
What to do with the result
A hit makes the match stronger and gives you your first receipts in the new market. A miss is just as useful: it moves you to the alternative with two weeks spent instead of twelve months.