Copy-ready startup templates

A one-page structure for describing who has a problem, how often it happens, what it costs and what they do about it today.

Use when: Use it before any interviews or building, to force a vague idea into a specific, testable claim about a real person's problem.

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Idea working name: [IDEA NAME]
Date: [DATE]

1. WHO HAS THE PROBLEM
Role or person: [SPECIFIC ROLE, e.g. office manager at a four-chair dental practice]
Context: [COMPANY SIZE / LIFE SITUATION / INDUSTRY]

Pairs with How to turn a problem into a business idea

A 20-minute interview script that asks about past behaviour instead of pitching, so you collect evidence rather than compliments.

Use when: Use it for early discovery calls with people who might have the problem, before you show them any product or price.

CUSTOMER INTERVIEW SCRIPT (about 20 minutes)
Interviewee: [NAME, ROLE, ORGANISATION]
Date: [DATE]   Interviewer: [YOUR NAME]

OPENING (2 minutes)
"Thanks for your time. I am researching how [ROLE] handles [PROBLEM AREA]. I am not selling anything today. There are no right answers, and I am most interested in what has actually happened rather than opinions. Is it all right if I take notes?"

Pairs with Customer interview questions: a script and question bank

A note-taking layout for each interview plus a synthesis grid for spotting patterns across seven to ten conversations.

Use when: Use it during and straight after each discovery interview, then fill the synthesis grid once you have at least five conversations.

PART A: NOTES FOR ONE INTERVIEW
Interview number: [#]   Date: [DATE]
Person: [ROLE, ORGANISATION TYPE, SIZE]
How I found them: [CHANNEL]

Last time the problem happened: [DATE / SITUATION]
What they did, step by step: [STEPS]

Pairs with Customer interview questions: a script and question bank

A single page that records the evidence for and against an idea so you, a co-founder or an adviser can make a clear decision.

Use when: Use it at the end of a validation sprint, when you need to decide whether to build, change direction or stop.

VALIDATION SUMMARY: [IDEA NAME]
Period covered: [START DATE] to [END DATE]
Prepared by: [NAME]

CUSTOMER
Target customer: [SPECIFIC ROLE AND CONTEXT]

Pairs with How to validate a startup idea in a week

A plan for running a landing page test with a defined audience, offer, success threshold and honest follow-up message.

Use when: Use it before you build a landing page, so the success criteria are fixed in advance and the result cannot be rationalised afterwards.

LANDING PAGE SMOKE TEST PLAN
Idea: [IDEA NAME]   Owner: [NAME]   Dates: [START] to [END]

HYPOTHESIS
[TARGET CUSTOMER] will [ACTION, e.g. pre-order / book a call / join a priced waitlist] for [OFFER] at [PRICE].

AUDIENCE AND TRAFFIC

Pairs with Landing page smoke test: how to run a fake-door test

An outline for a short, plain-language letter of intent or founding-customer pre-sale agreement with an early buyer.

Use when: Use it when a prospect has confirmed the problem and you want a written commitment before or while you build.

LETTER OF INTENT / PRE-SALE OUTLINE
This outline is not legal advice. Have a qualified lawyer review any agreement before you sign it or ask anyone else to.

Date: [DATE]
From (customer): [ORGANISATION NAME], represented by [NAME, TITLE]
To (supplier): [YOUR COMPANY OR NAME]

Pairs with Pre-sales and letters of intent: validate with real money

A weighted scorecard for comparing two to four startup ideas on the same criteria so the decision rests on evidence, not enthusiasm.

Use when: Use it when you have more than one idea and need to choose which to validate or build first.

IDEA COMPARISON SCORECARD
Date: [DATE]   Scored by: [NAME(S)]

Ideas being compared:
A: [IDEA A]
B: [IDEA B]
C: [IDEA C]

Pairs with How to choose between startup ideas when you have several

A practical launch checklist covering positioning, assets, channels, launch-day tasks and the follow-up that most launches skip.

Use when: Use it two to four weeks before you open a product to the public, and again on launch day and the week after.

LAUNCH CHECKLIST AND KIT
Product: [PRODUCT NAME]   Launch date: [DATE]   Owner: [NAME]

POSITIONING (finish first)
[ ] One-sentence description: [WHAT IT DOES] for [WHO] so they can [OUTCOME]
[ ] Main alternative it replaces: [ALTERNATIVE]
[ ] Price and plan names confirmed: [PRICING]

Pairs with Where to launch a startup: venues, kit and sequencing