Interview an Industry Expert

Industry experts can give you a fast track to insights that might otherwise take months to discover. They help you spot strengths and weaknesses in your business idea, uncover the riskiest assumptions in your model, and avoid costly mistakes.

 

Who Should You Interview?

Your expert should be someone who can give constructive, experience-based feedback on your business model, such as:

• A fellow startup founder who has navigated the early stages successfully.
• A company from another sector that operates with a similar business model.
• A mentor or teacher with deep subject matter expertise.
• An industry insider who understands the target market’s specifics.

What to Ask an Expert

Before the meeting, prepare a clear agenda and a set of targeted questions. Your aim is to learn:

• What they see as the biggest risks in your business model.
• Which assumptions might play out differently in the real world than you expect.

A Lean Canvas can be a great discussion tool. Walk the expert through your model, and ask them to highlight the assumptions they find riskiest.
While your prepared questions matter, leave space for open conversation — some of the best insights come from questions you didn’t know to ask.

 

How to Handle Expert Feedback

Expert input is valuable — but it needs to be viewed in context:

• One opinion is not the truth. Experts can disagree completely about the same idea.
• Experience helps, but isn’t perfect. Their advice is based on their journey, not your exact situation.
• Look for patterns. Pay attention to recurring risks and themes, rather than reacting strongly to a single negative comment.

 

Tips for a Successful Expert Interview

• Prepare well: Explain your idea clearly and concisely — experts have limited time.
• Ask focused questions: For example, “What’s the biggest risk you see?” or “How might you solve this challenge?”
• Record everything: Capture feedback so you can review and compare later.

Interviewing the right expert can save your startup months of trial and error. Prepare thoughtfully, listen openly, and use the feedback to refine your path — but always keep ownership of your vision.