Startup founders love to claim they’ve validated their idea — but did they run a real experiment, or just post on Product Hunt and call it proof?
In this episode, JDM and Cam play a few rounds of “Validation or Vibes,” rating three common startup claims on a scale from 0 (pure vibes) to 10 (solid validation).
Spoiler: nobody makes it past a 5, and one poor pilot gets dunked on so hard we nearly rename the show Churn Theater.
In classic Traction Lab fashion, the guys don’t just roast the claims — they also propose better experiments to replace the startup theater.
In This Episode
* The difference between data and delusion, and why your validation roadmap needs fewer fireworks and more friction
* Why Product Hunt launches are better at boosting egos than customer insight
* What to do with your waitlist (hint: the answer is not “nothing”)
* Why free pilots with no follow-on plan are startup purgatory
* JDM’s Costco whiskey sample analogy, which will now live rent-free in your founder brain
Startup Claims Rated
* “We got 600 upvotes on Product Hunt and 3,000 visitors on launch day!”
Validation Score: 3
Diagnosis: Validation Theater
Takeaway: Interest is not intent. Especially when no one signed up or paid.
* “We have 5,000 people on our waitlist and people are signing up every day.”
Validation Score: 4 (Cam), 5 (JDM)
Diagnosis: Waitlist Illusion
Takeaway: A growing waitlist with zero action is just a newsletter with commitment issues.
* “We ran a two-week pilot with eight teams and everyone said they loved it.”
Validation Score: 2
Diagnosis: Churn City
Takeaway: If they used it, loved it, and still didn’t pay you, what exactly are you validating?
Frivolous Thoughts
* JDM begs for a single app that lets him queue audio articles from The Economist and The Atlantic and other sources into one podcast feed
* Cam celebrates finally moving back into his house after 20 weeks in construction limbo — and immediately flooding the laundry room
* Both hosts agree: your startup doesn’t need more feelings. It needs proof.
