So you have accepted the fact that you are not your customer. That is a solid first step. Now we are moving into the part where you talk to real humans and learn what they actually care about. This is called customer discovery. Not customer guessing. Not customer assuming. Real conversations with people who might someday hand you money.
The goal is simple. Understand the problem from their point of view, not yours. When you interview customers the right way, you are gathering clues. You are finding out what frustrates them, what they have already tried, and what they wish existed. When you interview them the wrong way, you are accidentally pitching your idea and begging them to validate it. If they end the conversation politely saying, “Wow, that is neat,” they are probably lying. We are trying to avoid that.
Start With the Right People (Not Everyone)
Start by identifying exactly who you need to talk to. Not “everyone.” That is not a real target market unless you are selling oxygen. Narrow it down to the people who feel the pain your business is trying to solve. If your idea helps new parents with toddlers, great. Talk to new parents. Do not waste your time interviewing retired folks whose greatest struggle is that the early bird special does not start until four.
This step matters more than most founders realize. Talking to the wrong people gives you clean, confident feedback that is completely useless. Talking to the right people gives you messy, emotional, honest insight—and that is where good businesses come from.
If you are unsure how to define your target customer, the U.S. Small Business Administration has a solid breakdown of customer discovery and market research fundamentals that can help you narrow this down without overcomplicating it:
https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/market-research-competitive-analysis
Ask Questions That Unlock Real Insight
Once you find the right people, ask the right questions. The best questions help them talk about what frustrates them. Try questions like these (literally, use these):
- What is the hardest part about [the problem]?
- When was the last time it happened?
- What did you try to fix it? How did that go?
- How much time or money did you lose dealing with it?
If they lean forward and start venting like they have been waiting their whole life for someone to ask, you found gold. Keep listening. Keep taking notes. Resist the urge to jump in with “I have a solution.” The moment you start pitching is the moment they stop being honest.
Your Job Is to Listen, Not Impress
Your job here is not to impress them. You are not trying to convince them your idea is brilliant. You are trying to understand their world well enough that when you finally build something, they look at it and say, “Finally. Someone gets it.”
When customers feel heard, they open up. They will happily tell you what they hate and what they need. They might even design your product for you without realizing it. This is the part founders rush through—and it is the part that makes or breaks everything that comes after.
A Simple Customer Interview Checklist
Use this to keep yourself honest during interviews:
- Ask about their problem before mentioning your idea
- Let silence do some of the work
- Write down exact phrases they use (do not paraphrase)
- Do not argue, defend, or explain
- End the conversation without pitching
If you walk away wanting to build something better instead of feeling validated, you did it right.
Patterns Matter More Than Opinions
Treat every interview like a learning opportunity. The goal is not to leave the conversation with a sale. The goal is to leave knowing more than when you arrived. If ten people tell you the same thing, that is not a coincidence. That is a direction. Follow it. Adapt. Improve the idea before the expensive part starts.
One-off comments are noise. Repeated frustration is signal. Entrepreneurs who learn to tell the difference save themselves years of wasted effort.
Listen First. Talk Second.
My dad always told me “Listen first, talk second” and I share that same wisdom with my son. Listen first. Talk second. If he learns that early, he will be a great engineer someday. And if he decides to become an entrepreneur, he will build something the world actually wants instead of something that collects dust under his bed.
This principle applies everywhere in business—but it matters most at the beginning, when curiosity beats confidence every time.
Get Help Practicing This Skill
If you are ready to learn how to run these interviews without sweating through your shirt, I am right down the street at The Biz Foundry. We cover this step deeply in Start Up: Business Bootcamp. It is not complicated, but it does take practice. And the entrepreneurs who practice become the entrepreneurs who progress.
You can also schedule a free coaching call with me and we can chat about this.
Remember, you cannot help customers until you understand them. So go talk to them. They are the ones holding the answers. And maybe also holding your future revenue.
FAQ
How many customer interviews should I do?
Start with 10–15. You are looking for patterns, not perfection.
Should I tell people my idea during the interview?
Not at first. Let them describe the problem in their own words before you share anything.
What if feedback hurts?
That means it is working. Honest feedback now saves expensive mistakes later.
Can I do customer interviews online?
Yes. Zoom, phone calls, and DMs all count if the conversation is real.
What’s the biggest mistake founders make in interviews?
Pitching too early. The moment you sell, you stop learning.
Ready to Talk to Real Customers?
If you want guidance on running customer interviews the right way—and using what you learn to shape a real business—start here.
