The Mom Test Quotes

“The process before, during and after the meeting: If you haven’t yet, choose a focused, findable segment With your team, decide your big 3 learning goals If relevant, decide on ideal next steps and commitments If conversations are the right tool, figure out who to talk to Create a series of your best guesses about what the person cares about If a question could be answered via desk research, do that first Frame the conversation Keep it casual Ask good questions which pass The Mom Test Deflect compliments, anchor fluff, and dig beneath signals Take good notes If relevant, press for commitment and next steps With your team, review your notes and key customer quotes If relevant, transfer notes into permanent storage Update your beliefs and plans Decide on the next 3 big questions”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Mistakes and symptoms: Fishing for compliments. “I’m thinking of starting a business... so, do you think it will work?” “I had an awesome idea for an app — do you like it?” Exposing your ego (aka The Pathos Problem). “So here’s that top-secret project I quit my job for... what do you think?” “I can take it — be honest and tell me what you really think!” Being pitchy. “No no, I don’t think you get it...” “Yes, but it also does this!” Being too formal. “So, first off, thanks for agreeing to this interview. I just have a few questions for you and then I’ll let you get back to your day…” “On a scale of 1 to 5, how much would you say you…” “Let’s set up a meeting.” Being a learning bottleneck. “You just worry about the product. I’ll handle the customers.” “Because the customers told me so!” “I don’t have time to talk to people — I need to get back to coding!” Collecting compliments instead of facts and commitments. “We’re getting a lot of positive feedback.” “Everybody I’ve talked to loves the idea.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Getting back on track (avoiding bad data): Deflect compliments Anchor fluff Dig beneath opinions, ideas, requests, and emotions”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Key skills: Asking good questions (Chapters 1 & 3) Avoiding bad data (Chapter 2) Keeping it casual (Chapter 4) Pushing for commitment & advancement (Chapter 5) Framing the meeting (Chapter 6) Customer segmentation (Chapter 7) Prepping & reviewing (Chapter 8) Taking notes (Chapter 8)”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“The goal of this process is twofold. First, to ensure you’re spending your time well by attacking the questions which really matter and making use of the brains of the whole founding team. Second, to spread any new learning through your team as quickly and completely as possible.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“After a batch of conversations: With your team, review your notes and key customer quotes If relevant, transfer notes into permanent storage Update your beliefs and plans Decide on the next 3 big questions”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“During the conversation: Frame the conversation Keep it casual Ask good questions which pass The Mom Test Deflect compliments, anchor fluff, and dig beneath signals Take good notes If relevant, press for commitment and next steps”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“The process before a batch of conversations: If you haven’t yet, choose a focused, findable segment With your team, decide your big 3 learning goals If relevant, decide on ideal next steps and commitments If conversations are the right tool, figure out who to talk to Create a series of best guesses about what the person cares about If a question could be answered via desk research, do that first”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Warning signs that you’re just going through the motions: You’re talking more than they are They are complimenting you or your idea You told them about your idea and don’t have next steps You don’t have notes You haven’t looked through your notes with your team You got an unexpected answer and it didn’t change your idea You weren’t scared of any of the questions you asked You aren’t sure what you’re trying to learn in this conversation”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“3 separate meetings: the first about the customer and their problem; the second about your solution; and the third to sell a product.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Given that people don’t know what they want, that wouldn’t be a terribly effective approach. Deciding what to build is your job. The questions to ask are about your customers’ lives: their problems, cares, constraints, and goals.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Start broad and don't zoom in until you’ve found a strong signal, both with your whole business and with every conversation.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“you also need to search out the world-rocking scary questions you’ve been unintentionally shrinking from. The best way to find them is with thought experiments. Imagine that the company has failed and ask why that happened. Then imagine it as a huge success and ask what had to be true to get there. Find ways to learn about those critical pieces.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“There’s no easy solution to making yourself face and ask these questions. I once heard the general life advice that, for unpleasant tasks, you should imagine what you would have someone else do if you were delegating it. Then do that. And remember, you’re allowed to ask about money. You're a startup. It's okay.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Rule of thumb: If you don’t know what you’re trying to learn, you shouldn’t bother having the conversation.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Rule of thumb: Keep having conversations until you stop hearing new stuff.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Rule of thumb: Learning about a customer and their problems works better as a quick and casual chat than a long, formal meeting.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“through”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Hey Pete, I'm trying to make desk & office rental less of a pain for new businesses (vision). We’re just starting out and don’t have anything to sell, but want to make sure we’re building something that actually helps (framing). I’ve only ever come at it from the tenant’s side and I’m having a hard time understanding how it all works from the landlord’s perspective (weakness). You’ve been renting out desks for a while and could really help me cut through the fog (pedestal). Do you have time in the next couple weeks to meet up for a chat? (ask)”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“The measure of usefulness of an early customer conversation is whether it gives us concrete facts about customer’s lives and world views”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“In short, remember that compliments are worthless and people’s approval doesn’t make your business better.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“When you hear a request, it’s your job to understand the motivations which led to it. You do that by digging around the question to find the root cause. Why do they bother doing it this way? Why do they want the feature? How are they currently coping without the feature? Dig.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Startups are about focusing and executing on a single, scalable idea rather than jumping on every good one which crosses your desk.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

“Regla de oro: es muy difícil que alguien te diga con certeza lo que pagaría por tu solución. Sin embargo, la gente a menudo te muestra lo que les valdría la pena pagar o lo que ya están pagando.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, El Mom Test: Cómo mantener conversaciones con tus clientes y validar tu idea de negocio cuando todos te mienten.

“Regla de oro: si no han buscado maneras de resolver el problema ya, no van a buscar (o peor aún, comprar) la tuya.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, El Mom Test: Cómo mantener conversaciones con tus clientes y validar tu idea de negocio cuando todos te mienten.

“Regla de oro: observar a alguien realizar una tarea te va a mostrar dónde está el problema y qué deficiencias presenta la solución existente, no aquellas que la persona cree que tiene.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, El Mom Test: Cómo mantener conversaciones con tus clientes y validar tu idea de negocio cuando todos te mienten.

“Regla de oro: agunos problemas, en realidad, no importan o no necesitan solución.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, El Mom Test: Cómo mantener conversaciones con tus clientes y validar tu idea de negocio cuando todos te mienten.

“Regla de oro: hasta que no entiendas las metas y motivaciones de tus clientes, estarás disparando a ciegas.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, El Mom Test: Cómo mantener conversaciones con tus clientes y validar tu idea de negocio cuando todos te mienten.

“Regla de oro: la gente sabe cuáles son sus problemas pero no suele saber cómo resolverlos.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, El Mom Test: Cómo mantener conversaciones con tus clientes y validar tu idea de negocio cuando todos te mienten.

“Regla de oro: todo lo que involucre un condicional o un futuro hipotético tiene muchas probabilidades de ser demasiado optimista y, por lo tanto, una mentira.”
― Rob Fitzpatrick, El Mom Test: Cómo mantener conversaciones con tus clientes y validar tu idea de negocio cuando todos te mienten.