How to get genuine feedback on your startup

Getting genuine feedback on your startup can be one of the most critical yet challenging aspects of building a company.

As a founder, you’re deeply invested in your idea, and it's easy to fall into the trap of only seeking or accepting feedback that aligns with your vision. But this can be a fatal mistake. Honest, unfiltered feedback is essential to making your startup successful.

Here we’ll explain how to get genuine feedback, the psychology behind feedback, and why most founders struggle with this aspect of startup life.

The problem with feedback

When founders talk about getting feedback, what they usually mean is validation.

They want to hear that their idea is good and that they are on the right track. This is a natural desire—after all, your startup is likely an extension of yourself, and criticism can feel like a personal attack.

But feedback that only validates your idea is not useful. Worse, it can lead you down a path of false security, where you miss critical flaws that could sink the company later.

One of the biggest obstacles to getting genuine feedback is that most people are polite. If you ask someone what they think of your startup, they’re likely to tell you it’s great, even if they have serious reservations.

People don’t like to hurt feelings, especially when it comes to friends or acquaintances. And if they don’t see an obvious flaw, they might just nod and agree rather than dig deeper into potential issues.

The psychology of feedback

The first step in getting genuine feedback is understanding the psychology of both the giver and the receiver.

As a founder, you’re emotionally tied to your product, so you must recognise this bias. Your natural reaction to negative feedback will be to either dismiss it or explain it away. You’ll say, “They don’t get it,” or, “That’s not what we’re trying to do.”

Instead, try to adopt an attitude of curiosity. Assume that any criticism could be valid, and investigate further to understand why someone feels the way they do.

From the feedback giver’s perspective, most people aren’t trained to give constructive criticism. They may fear damaging the relationship or being wrong.

Therefore, you need to create a space where they feel comfortable being honest. One way to do this is by explicitly asking for criticism rather than praise. If you say, “I really need you to point out what’s wrong with this,” you’ve opened the door for more authentic feedback.

Where to get feedback on your startup

Not all feedback is created equal. The value of feedback depends almost entirely on who is giving it.

While it might seem like any input is better than none, the truth is that feedback can range from transformative to utterly useless – or even harmful. The trick is knowing how to prioritise and weigh it.

There are several groups you might seek feedback from, and each comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. Based on our experience, here’s how we’d rank these different sources of feedback in terms of their usefulness to you as a founder.

Bad sources of feedback

• Friends and Family: These are the people most likely to give you biased feedback. Their instinct will be to encourage you, even if they have reservations. However, if you frame your questions carefully, you can still extract some useful insights. Rather than asking, “What do you think of my startup?” try asking more specific questions like, “What part of this confuses you?” or, “Is there any reason you wouldn’t use this product?”

Better sources of feedback

• Other founders: Fellow entrepreneurs can provide excellent feedback because they understand the journey you’re on. They know the challenges and are often more willing to be candid because they’ve been through it themselves. The downside is that they may be too focused on how they would build the product, leading you astray from your own vision. Use their feedback to identify blind spots, but don’t let them dictate the direction of your company.

• Industry experts: These individuals have deep knowledge of the market and can offer valuable insights, especially on technical or strategic aspects of your business. The challenge is getting access to them, and when you do, they may not have the time or interest to dive deep into your specific situation. When you can get their attention, make sure your questions are concise and to the point.

Best sources of feedback

• Potential customers: This is the most valuable source of feedback, but also the hardest to interpret. Customers often don’t know what they want until they see it, and their feedback can be contradictory or based on assumptions. However, if you can observe how they interact with your product, you’ll gain insights that no one else can provide. Look for patterns in customer behaviour and feedback—those patterns will tell you much more than any individual opinion.

How to frame your questions

The way you ask for feedback can significantly influence the type of feedback you receive.

If you ask vague or general questions, you’ll get equally vague answers. Instead, focus on specific areas where you have doubts or where you're struggling.

For example, if you’re unsure whether customers understand the value of your product, you might ask, “What do you think this product does?” or, “If you had to explain this to a friend, how would you describe it?”

These questions force the respondent to think critically about the product and its value proposition, giving you insight into how well you're communicating your idea.

Similarly, if you’re concerned about a particular feature, ask, “Would you use this feature? Why or why not?” By isolating one aspect of the product, you can get more focused feedback that can guide your future iterations.

But be careful how you take this feedback. It’s very common for customers to say one thing (that they want a feature) and do something else (never buy a product that solves it).

Using feedback for your startup

The most important thing about feedback is what you do with it. Not all feedback is worth acting on, and part of your job as a founder is to discern which advice is valuable and which is noise.

Often, you’ll get conflicting feedback from different people. Some will tell you to focus on one feature, while others will say it’s unnecessary. Some will love your pricing model, while others will say it’s too expensive.

In these situations, the key is to look for patterns. If several people are saying the same thing, there’s probably something to it. But if only one person mentions an issue, it might just be a personal preference. The more feedback you get, the easier it becomes to see these patterns.

Also, remember that feedback is just one input. Your intuition as a founder is another. There will be times when you disagree with the feedback you’re receiving, and that’s okay.

Steve Jobs famously said that customers don’t know what they want until you show it to them.

While that’s true to an extent, it doesn’t mean you should ignore feedback altogether. Instead, use it to inform your decisions, but don’t let it override your vision.

Final thoughts

Getting genuine feedback is one of the hardest but most important parts of building a startup.

It requires a mindset shift—one where you actively seek out criticism and learn to view it as a tool for growth rather than an attack.

With these tips you’ll be far better positioned to build something people actually want.

The goal isn’t to have everyone love your idea from the start. It’s to learn, iterate, and improve until you’ve built something that solves real problems for real people.

So don’t shy away from criticism. Embrace it. It’s the only way your startup will succeed.

If you're after genuine feedback on your startup, join us at Stone & Chalk