The Problem With Problem Validation
As a solo founder building RandomProblem.dev, I’ve seen hundreds of developers and entrepreneurs (myself included) make the same costly mistake: we fall in love with solutions before properly validating problems. Traditional market research takes weeks – by which point momentum fades.
My Experiment: AI-Assisted Validation
I’m currently testing Perplexity AI to generate instant validation reports for problems surfaced on my platform. Here’s what the prototype analyzes:
✅ Competitor Landscapes
(Example output for a Shopify automation idea)
“No pure SaaS alternatives exist – current solutions require manual Zapier setups. Top adjacent tools: Bold (pricing $99+/mo), Recharge (enterprise-focused)”
✅ SWOT Analyses
“Strength: Shopify’s open API. Weakness: Merchant trust in automated discounting. Opportunity: Nonprofits/memberships are underserved.”
✅ Market Signals
- Reddit discussion trends (volume/sentiment)
- Google Search volume patterns
- Emerging competitor funding rounds
Why This Matters
The average founder spends 3-6 months building before getting real market feedback. AI won’t replace human judgment, but it can:
- Surface blind spots (e.g., “There are already 5 VC-funded tools in this space”)
- Suggest validation shortcuts (e.g., “Test demand by running Reddit ads to this niche”)
- Prevent wasted effort (e.g., “This requires hardware partnerships – not ideal for solo founders”)
Coming Next
- Manual testing phase (current) – Running 100+ problems through the system
- Beta release – Free reports for registered users
- Premium tier – Detailed reports with TAM estimates and interview scripts
Want early access? Join the waitlist
Your Turn
What would make this tool indispensable for your validation process? Drop a comment below or email me – I read every response.