The 72-Hour SaaS Proof Sprint
Run the six stages in order. Each has a single pass/fail rule. If a stage fails, pivot the failing variable or kill the idea. Do not advance on vibes.
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Mine Problem Complaints
Goal: confirm the problem is real, frequent, painful.
Do: pull 50+ verbatim complaints from Reddit, Twitter/X, G2, Capterra, HN, Trustpilot (last 12 months).
Pass if: ≥20 distinct complaints from ≥10 unique users.
Evidence links: __________________________________________ -
Size Market Potential
Goal: confirm the market is large enough to matter.
Do: bottom-up SOM = # customers × ACV. Anchor ACV at $50–$200/mo.
Pass if: SOM ≥ $1M ARR and market growth ≥ 10% YoY.
SOM calc: _____ customers × _____ ACV = $__________ ARR -
Benchmark Competitors
Goal: find your wedge before you build.
Do: 5–10 competitors on G2, Capterra, SimilarWeb, BuiltWith. Read 1–2 star reviews.
Pass if: ≥3 have clear recurring gaps and avg rating < 4.0/5.
Top 3 gaps: 1. _______ 2. _______ 3. _______ -
Test Willingness to Pay — critical stage
Goal: confirm the market already pays.
Do: find 5+ startups in your exact space with verified MRR ≥ $1K (TrustMRR, Baremetrics, IndieHackers).
Pass if: 5+ above $1K MRR. Hard fail if category is dominated by free tools.
Comparables: 1.________ 2.________ 3.________ 4.________ 5.________ -
Launch a Demand Page
Goal: get commitment signals from strangers.
Do: one-page landing site with a $1 paid waitlist CTA. Run $100 of targeted ads for 24h.
Pass if: ≥10% signup rate, CPA < $10, ≥5 paid intents.
Visitors ____ · Signups ____ · Paid intents ____ · CPA ____ -
Conduct 10 User Calls
Goal: hear the pain and the price in their own words.
Do: 10 strangers from your target role. 30 min each. Ask about the last time the pain happened. Do not pitch your solution.
Pass if: 7/10 confirm acute pain and immediate willingness to pay your target price.
Pain ___/10 · Willingness to pay ___/10
Final Decision
| Stage | Pass | Fail |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mine Problem Complaints | ☐ | ☐ |
| 2. Size Market Potential | ☐ | ☐ |
| 3. Benchmark Competitors | ☐ | ☐ |
| 4. Willingness to Pay | ☐ | ☐ |
| 5. Demand Page | ☐ | ☐ |
| 6. User Calls | ☐ | ☐ |
6/6 pass → persevere. Start the MVP this week.
1 fail → pivot the failing variable (buyer, price, wedge). Re-run that stage only.
2+ fails → kill the idea. New one tomorrow.
Shortcut
Fluenta X-Ray runs stages 1, 3, and 4 automatically against 25 live market and social data feeds. From $7 per run · 40+ minutes.
Score my idea in 40 min — from $7Want the weekly teardown?
Every Friday I break down one real startup idea through this exact 6-stage sprint — pass, fail, and where it pivoted. No fluff, no newsletter sponsorships. One email, one idea, one verdict.