Key factors to consider
Evidence of demand
Conversations are not evidence. Pre-orders, deposits, a waiting list or a paying pilot are. Rank what you actually have.
Personal runway
Months of living costs covered, separate from business capital. Most founders fail at the personal balance sheet, not the business one.
Unfair advantage
Distribution, domain expertise, an existing audience or a cost structure others can't match. Without one, expect a longer grind.
Time to first revenue
Weeks, months or years changes everything about how much capital and patience you need.
Exit ramps
Could you return to your field in a year without penalty? A visible ramp makes the risk far more rational.
Common mistakes
- Building for months before charging anyone anything.
- Registering companies and designing logos instead of finding customers.
- Underpricing at launch and locking in an unprofitable customer base.
- Raising money to avoid the discomfort of selling.
- Skipping a written agreement with a co-founder because things feel friendly now.
Questions to ask yourself
- 1.Who has already paid me, or committed to pay me, for this?
- 2.What has to be true for this to be profitable within 12 months?
- 3.What's the cheapest version I could sell next month?
- 4.How will I know within 90 days that this isn't working?
- 5.Am I willing to sell, not just build?
Ready to decide?
ThatEcho turns this into your own workspace — goals, criteria, weighted options and a transparent recommendation you can question.