You’ve got an idea. It’s buzzing in your head, keeping you up at night. But before you sink time or money into building it, you need to know one thing: Does it actually solve a real problem, for real people, in the real world?
Chances are, the first people you’ll share your idea with are friends and family. That’s natural. But there’s a catch: they like you. They want to support you. And that means it can be hard to get honest, useful feedback.
But if you approach these conversations the right way, you can learn a lot. They can show you what’s confusing, raise questions you hadn’t considered, and help you spot blind spots early.
Here’s our tips to make the most of testing your startup idea with friends and family.
1. Test the problem, not the solution
Most people make a mistake right away: they start by pitching their idea.
It makes sense, you’re excited, you’re riding the wave and you want others to see how great your idea is.
But this is the worst way to get honest feedback. If you tell someone your idea and then ask, “Do you think it’s good?” they’ll probably say yes. Not because they believe it, but because they don’t want to be rude.
Instead, start with the problem.
If the problem matters to them, they’ll naturally be interested in solutions. If it doesn’t, then no amount of convincing will make your idea work.
For example, let’s say you’re thinking about starting a grocery delivery service. Instead of saying, “I have an idea for an app that delivers groceries faster than UberEats,” start by asking:
- “How do you feel about grocery shopping right now?”
- “What’s the hardest part of keeping your kitchen stocked?”
- “If you could change one thing about how you get groceries, what would it be?”
These questions open the door for real conversations. You’re learning how they think about the problem, rather than searching for validation.
How you ask matters. If you say, “Would you use an app like this?” they’ll probably say yes, just to be polite. Instead, ask open-ended, neutral questions.
- Bad: “Don’t you think this app would save you time?”
- Good: “What do you currently do to save time when shopping?”
You’re not trying to convince them of anything. You’re trying to see if the problem really exists and if they already look for solutions like yours.
2. Actively welcome criticism and honesty
It’s easy to get false positives from friends and family, they want to be supportive. So make it safe for them to be honest.
Instead of asking, “What do you think?”, prompt them with clearer questions like:
- “What do you think could go wrong with this idea?”
- “Why wouldn’t you use this?”
- “What’s missing in this design?”
If they struggle to be critical, change the framing. Ask them to imagine they’re investors deciding whether to fund your idea. What would they need to see before saying yes?
It can feel uncomfortable and that’s a good sign. If it doesn’t feel a bit risky to share, you’re probably playing it too safe. In our experience, the strongest founders invite critique early, knowing it’s cheaper to be wrong before they start building.
Once you’ve opened the door to honest feedback, look for what’s specific and actionable. Patterns matter. If multiple people raise the same issue, don’t dismiss it, refine your idea and test again.
3. Give them a prototype to test
People are more honest when they engage with a real product. So if you can, create a basic version to test – even a rough draft will do..
Here are a few easy ways to make your idea feel real:
- A landing page – Create a basic webpage that explains your product and see if people sign up for updates. This helps you test interest without building the actual product. Webpage builders like Carrd make it easy to spin up a clean, single-page site in under an hour.
- A no-code prototype – Use tools like Figma to build a rough working version of your product. Even simple clickable buttons or fake form submissions can help people visualise the experience. It’s faster than building from scratch and helps reveal where people get stuck.
- Screenshots or mockups – Design still images of what the product might look like on a phone or desktop. Mockups are especially useful if you’re still working out the tech but want to test reactions to layout, copy, or features. Design programs like Canva make this easier than ever before.
Then show it to people and stay quiet. What they do next will tell you more than what they say.
4. Look beyond their words
People aren’t always direct about what they really think. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to their body language and tone.
Excitement is hard to fake. If their eyes light up, if they lean in, if they start asking questions before you’ve finished explaining – that’s a good sign. On the other hand, if they nod politely but don’t ask anything, they might not be interested.
A good test is to let silence do the work. After you explain your idea, stop talking. If they fill the silence with questions like:
- “How does it work?”
- “When can I try it?”
- “How much does it cost?”
That’s a strong sign they’re interested. But if they just say, “That’s cool” and move on, your idea might not be as compelling as you think.
One of the best ways to gauge real interest is to bring up money. People might say they’d use a product, but that doesn’t mean they’d pay for it. Ask:
- “Would you pay $10 for this?”
- “How much would you pay to solve this problem?”
- “What’s a fair price for an app like this?”
If they hesitate or struggle to answer, dig deeper. Is the problem not painful enough? Are they not convinced about the value? This can tell you a lot about whether your idea has real demand.
Want to go even further? Ask them to commit – money, time, or effort.
- “Would you pre-order for $5?”
- “Can I sign you up to hear more when it launches?”
If they say yes, that’s a good sign. If they politely decline, that tells you valuable information too.
5. Thank them and move beyond your circle
Friends and family are a great starting point, but they’re just that – a starting point.
Once you’ve refined your idea based on their feedback, take it to people who fit your target customer profile. Friends and family might not be your real audience. They may not even be startup-minded.
If they say things like, “I wouldn’t use this” or “This already exists”, remember to check whether they’re speaking from experience or just personal opinion. For example:
- If your uncle says, “I wouldn’t use this,” ask: “Would someone like you be my target customer?”
- If your friend says, “This has been done before,” ask: “How is my version different?”
When testing with friends and family, you will only ever be able to go so far. Your goal isn’t to get universal approval of the people close to you. If you aim for that, you’ll never meet the needs of the real people who would use your product.
Final thoughts
Testing your startup idea with friends and family is an art. It’s about asking good questions, listening carefully, and filtering feedback through the lens of your target market.
They won’t always tell you what you need to hear, but they can help you avoid blind spots. Their feedback is a starting point, not the final word.
The most important thing is to just start. Share your ideas, get feedback, and improve. Every conversation gets you closer to building a startup that truly matters.
