# Validate Before You Build

By Justin Novak · https://www.tminus.ventures/playbook/validate-before-you-build

If no one buys the vision, don't build the product. If they do, use the pre-orders to fund it. I got my first 15 customers with a message and a Stripe link, before writing a line of code.

Before building my first software products, I messaged everyone I knew in the industry saying "Here's what I'm building, would you pay $165/month for this?"

They said yes. I sent them a Stripe link. Boom: pre-sales, validation, and funding in one move. I got my first 15 customers just like that.

If no one buys the vision, don't build the product. If they do, use the pre-orders to fund it.