Interview Customers About the Problem

Many startups make the mistake of jumping straight into product development, assuming they already know what customers want. This often leads to spending huge amounts of time and resources building something nobody needs. By interviewing customers early, you can make sure you’re solving a real, significant problem.

 

Confirm the Problem Exists

In the early stage of a startup, your most important task is to find out whether customers actually experience the problem you think you’re solving. If customers don’t recognize the problem, they won’t be motivated to pay for a solution. Through problem interviews, you can answer questions such as:

• What are the top 3 problems customers name?
• How do they solve these problems today?
• Does your target customer segment have real potential?

 

How to Conduct Problem Interviews

• Reach the right people
• Start with individuals in your target audience. Begin with your own network, then ask for introductions to their contacts.

• Prepare well
• Good preparation leads to better interviews. Use questions inspired by Running Lean, such as:
• How significant do you consider this problem to be?
• How do you currently solve it?
• What other related challenges do you face?

• Listen actively
• Let the customer speak freely. Don’t interrupt or pitch your solution yet — your goal here is to deeply understand their perspective.

• Take detailed notes
• Capture not only what they say but also the tone and emotions behind their words. Note if they sound frustrated, indifferent, or enthusiastic. You can use templates like the ones in Running Lean to structure your notes.

 

How Many Interviews Are Enough?

Running Lean recommends starting with at least 10 problem interviews. This is usually enough to identify recurring themes and the most painful issues. If none of the 10 interviewees see the problem as important, that’s a strong signal to reconsider your business idea.