How to use this quiz
Answer the 8 questions covering customer validation, market size, competition, revenue model, capital versus startup costs, runway, relevant experience, and exit strategy. Each is scored 0-3, and three specific answers — no real customer validation, an unclear revenue model, or less than 3 months of runway — trigger critical-failure deductions that cap the result. Be brutally honest on customer validation: "friends and family think it's good" does not count as validation, and the quiz treats it as such.
What your result means
A "strong foundation" result requires 65+ with zero critical failures — meaning you've validated demand with real customers, clarified how you make money, and hold enough runway to survive a slow start. "Promising but needs work" signals real potential with fixable gaps, most often deeper customer research or a more detailed financial model. "High risk" means multiple critical failures are present; the most dangerous pattern is unvalidated demand plus an unclear revenue model plus underfunding, which is the combination most strongly correlated with startup failure.
When to trust it
The score reflects how well-prepared you are, not whether the business will actually succeed. Even validated, well-funded ventures fail due to execution, market shifts, or competition the quiz can't see. Before committing real capital, build a financial model in a break-even calculator, run a low-cost validation experiment (landing page, pre-orders, or a consulting pilot), and talk to an accountant or startup mentor who knows your specific industry and locality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'viable' actually mean for a business idea?
Not 'a good idea' — a viable one clears three bars: enough people will pay enough to cover costs (unit economics work at real prices, not optimistic ones), you can reach those people at a cost below what they pay you, and you can survive the time it takes to get there. The quiz approximates these. An idea that fails any one bar isn't a smaller business — it's a hobby with expenses.
Should I test the idea before quitting my job?
Almost always yes. Build the smallest version that can take real payment — presell, take deposits, serve five customers manually — while your salary covers the downside. The data you get from ten paying customers beats months of planning. Quit when the business's traction (repeatable sales, not one lucky client) makes the job the bigger opportunity cost, not when the idea feels exciting.
How do I know if the market is big enough?
Do the arithmetic bottom-up, not from industry reports. Estimate: how many reachable customers exist, what fraction might realistically buy per year, at what average price. If the honest answer can't exceed your revenue goal by a healthy multiple, the market is too small — and no amount of execution fixes that. Competitors are usually a good sign here: their existence proves demand; their absence often means there isn't any.