From problem to fundable business

Atlanta Ventures has built key questions, templates, and resources for each of these four steps to help you dig deeper into your potential business idea. Address all four and you'll have a solid foundation for a potential business.

Explore Startup 101 Resources

Articles, books, podcasts & templates — organized by stage

01
Define

Problem

Identify a problem that is mission critical, present in the customers' every day life, and mentioned without prompt.
02
Assess

Market

Ensure the market is large, growing, and focused on an untapped niche. Find the external factor that supports it, and define how you'll win versus competitors.

 03
Validate

Customer

Validate the problem with customers, identify your target segment, understand the true customer needs, and sign up development partners.
04
Model

Business

Determine if unit and scale economics benefit both the business and the customer, outline your value proposition, and weigh the key risks.

These topics are ordered intentionally. Following these steps helps you determine whether to pursue your idea — or simply pivot to a better one.

01  Define

The Problem

Why do customers care — what makes the problem painful? How many people does it truly affect? How often does it happen? If you don't have a firm grasp on the problem you are trying to solve and the root causes, the solution you develop could fail to address a real customer need.

What defines success
The problem is mission critical to the customer
Multiple customers mention it without prompting
Creates a proven pain point in the customer's everyday life
Key Questions
What is the problem that you are trying to solve?
What are the pain points this problem creates? Why does it need to be solved?
How frequently does this problem happen? How do people address it today?
What are individuals/businesses currently doing to "solve" it?
How are you uniquely positioned to solve this problem?
Ready to go deeper on Problem? Templates, articles & conversation guides in Startup 101
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02  Assess

The Market

You may have an amazing idea, but if there isn't a true market for the solution, your business will fail to get off the ground. You'll need to understand where the market has been and where it's going — why it's growing, what external factors make it a hot space, and who else competes.

What defines success
The market is large, growing, and focuses on an untapped niche
An external factor or trend supports the market's growth
You feel confident in your ability to compete or differentiate
Key Questions
What does the industry's market look like today? 5–10 years ago?
How big is the total addressable market (TAM)?
What portion of the TAM will you start with — geography, segment?
What external factors or triggers will drive the market forward?
Where do you plan to expand next? How big is that market?
Who is currently offering a service to solve this problem?
How large are these competitors? Are they established or early stage?
Are there significant barriers to entry in the industry?
How hard will it be to gain market share, and how fast?
Ready to go deeper on Market? Market sizing templates, TAM guides & competitive analysis tools
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03  Validate

The Customer

Once you understand the problem and the market, fully grasp who your customer will be and the value proposition to them. Try to be as specific as possible with your target segment — even if you think the solution could apply to a larger population.

What defines success
You have validated the problem with multiple customers
You've defined your target customer for acquisition
Customer discovery has revealed true customer needs
Customers have agreed to be development partners — before any tangible product
Key Questions
Who will pay money for a solution to this problem?
Is there a certain segment (size, age, industry) your product will target?
Are you selling B2B or B2C? Is there a difference between buyer and user?
Is there significant customer concentration or power?
How will the customer use your product in their workflow?
Ready to go deeper on Customer? Customer discovery frameworks, segmentation guides & validation tools
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04  Model

The Business

Now that you know the problem, the market, and the customer — identify the solution you'll offer, how it will be differentiated, and who will join you in its development. How will your business make money and scale? What do you need to believe for it to succeed?

What defines success
Unit and scale economics deliver value to both customer and company
You've defined a clear value proposition for the customer
There is a clear path and economics to scale the business
No significant red flags have arisen from your research
Key Questions
How is your approach better than the current workflow or competition?
Can you target a customer segment that is underpenetrated?
How will customers determine the ROI from your solution?
How will your business make money — short and long term?
When do you expect to break even? What are your margin assumptions?
Who pays, and how is it structured — subscription, one-time, membership?
How do unit economics scale with growth?
What assumptions need to be true for this to succeed?
Which assumptions give you the most pause?
What is your backup plan if key assumptions prove false?
Ready to go deeper on Business? Business model canvas, ROI calculator & budgeting tools
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Explore the full Startup 101 resource library — articles, books, podcasts, and templates organized by phase.

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