The free founder starter kit
An idea is a start. Here’s your next move.
Five exercises to turn a hunch into a testable plan. Written for high schoolers building their first project. Bring a notebook and about an hour; do the real-world tests afterward.
Free to use · No signup · Works in any notes app
10 minutes
Pick a problem you can actually reach.
Name one type of person, one recurring problem, and what they do about it today. Start with someone you can talk to this week.
Put this in your worksheet
[Specific person] struggles to [job] when [situation]. Today they [workaround], which costs [time, money, or missed outcome].
Example: A school club treasurer chases five separate payment screenshots before every event and spends an hour matching them to a spreadsheet.
Reality check: Can you name three people who might have this problem? If you cannot, narrow the audience before designing a solution.
15 minutes to prepare; conversations happen next
Prepare a conversation, not a sales pitch.
List five potential interviewees. Ask about a recent real incident, the current workaround, and its cost. A compliment is not evidence of demand.
Put this in your worksheet
Tell me about the last time this happened. What did you do? What was hardest? What did that cost you? What have you already tried?
Example: Instead of ‘Would you use my app?’, ask ‘Walk me through how you collected payments for the last club event.’
Reality check: Save what happened and what the person did, separately from your interpretation. Get permission before recording. Do not publish their names or private details.
15 minutes
Design the smallest honest test.
Choose the riskiest assumption. Test it with a manual service, a simple prototype, or a clearly labeled early-access page before building a full app.
Put this in your worksheet
We believe [audience] will [observable action]. By [date], we will test this with [small experiment]. We will continue if [threshold]; otherwise we will [change].
Example: With permission, manually organize the next event’s payment records for three club treasurers. See whether they use the result and ask to use it again.
Reality check: Set your decision rule before collecting results. Three users is an example for a small experiment, not proof of a market. Report the sample size and limitations.
10 minutes
Choose one path to your first users.
Pick one place where the exact audience already spends time. Write a useful, specific invitation. Ask permission in moderated communities and make your connection to the project clear.
Put this in your worksheet
I’m testing [specific solution] for [audience]. It currently does [real capability]. Would you try [small next step] and tell me where it breaks?
Example: Ask your club advisor to share a pilot invitation with two treasurers who have the problem. Track invitations, replies, trials, and repeat use.
Reality check: Choose a time limit and a cash limit. Start at $0. Replies and repeat use matter more than impressions; do not count friends saying ‘cool’ as customers.
10 minutes
Explain what you know and what you need next.
Write a one-minute explanation: who has the problem, how you help, what you have actually observed, and your next test. Label assumptions and examples clearly.
Put this in your worksheet
We help [audience] do [job]. Today they [workaround]. We tested [experiment] and observed [evidence]. Next we need [specific help or next action].
Example: ‘We interviewed three treasurers; two described this problem last month’ is useful. ‘Everyone needs this’ is not. Never invent users, revenue, or partnerships.
Reality check: Finish with one concrete ask. If you have no traction yet, say what you plan to test and when. An honest open question beats a made-up metric.
Turn the plan into a week of work
End with a date, a test, and one person to help.
Schedule your first conversation, choose a deadline for your smallest test, and ask a classmate or club advisor to review your reasoning. If the evidence disagrees with your idea, change the idea.
Want a cohort to build alongside?
batch0 is a live, online accelerator for high schoolers, ages 13–18. Work through validation, building, marketing, and pitching with feedback. Applying is free; standard tuition is $150.99, charged only if accepted. Check the program page for current dates, regional pricing, and any active offer. No equity taken; funding is never guaranteed.
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