Want to build a successful startup?
Awesome!
But which steps actually matter - and which are just a waste of time?
I’m Oskar. I’ve coached over 50 startups and built two myself.
Let me show you the exact steps to build your startup.
Simple, clear, and super actionable.
❌ No long business plans
❌ No 5-year roadmaps
✅ Just things you can do right now
And the best part?
We only need 4 steps.
So let’s dive in.
Awesome!
But which steps actually matter - and which are just a waste of time?
I’m Oskar. I’ve coached over 50 startups and built two myself.
Let me show you the exact steps to build your startup.
Simple, clear, and super actionable.
❌ No long business plans
❌ No 5-year roadmaps
✅ Just things you can do right now
And the best part?
We only need 4 steps.
So let’s dive in.
1. Validate your idea
Alright, you’ve got an amazing idea for your startup.
That’s great.
But before you spend months building it, you need to make sure people actually want it – and that they would really pay for it - you need to validate your idea.
This step is absolutely crucial. I mean, you don’t want to build something people like, but don’t pay for. Trust me - I’ve been there.
This was the reason my first startup failed.
We built something nobody wanted.
Don’t make that mistake.
So, the first step in building a successful startup is to talk to people who have the exact problem you’re solving. And you ask them three simple questions:
1. How do you solve this problem today?
2. Why haven’t you changed it yet?
3. In a perfect world, how would you want it to work?
Then, tell them your idea.
Ask if it sounds useful - and if they would pay for it.
I always recommend you do these interviews in person because you get more information and you can ask some follow-up questions.
And hey - you don’t need 100 interviews. 10 is enough to get a good idea of whether people would actually pay for your solution.
✅ And if they say yes - great - you can move on.
❌ If they say no, you need to tweak your idea or start fresh with a new one.
Think of this as your safety check before you waste your time and your money. If you do this, you’re already ahead of most founders.
Ok, now once you know people would pay for your solution it’s time for step two.
That’s great.
But before you spend months building it, you need to make sure people actually want it – and that they would really pay for it - you need to validate your idea.
This step is absolutely crucial. I mean, you don’t want to build something people like, but don’t pay for. Trust me - I’ve been there.
This was the reason my first startup failed.
We built something nobody wanted.
Don’t make that mistake.
So, the first step in building a successful startup is to talk to people who have the exact problem you’re solving. And you ask them three simple questions:
1. How do you solve this problem today?
2. Why haven’t you changed it yet?
3. In a perfect world, how would you want it to work?
Then, tell them your idea.
Ask if it sounds useful - and if they would pay for it.
I always recommend you do these interviews in person because you get more information and you can ask some follow-up questions.
And hey - you don’t need 100 interviews. 10 is enough to get a good idea of whether people would actually pay for your solution.
✅ And if they say yes - great - you can move on.
❌ If they say no, you need to tweak your idea or start fresh with a new one.
Think of this as your safety check before you waste your time and your money. If you do this, you’re already ahead of most founders.
Ok, now once you know people would pay for your solution it’s time for step two.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
But hey, before I show you the next step, let me give you something that will help you on your startup journey - my Startup Success Bundle.
The Startup Success Bundle is perfect for you if you are looking for a step-by-step, actionable roadmap to build a successful startup. It's trusted by 50+ founders, so it's tried and tested, not theoretical stuff.
Click the button below and check it out!
But hey, before I show you the next step, let me give you something that will help you on your startup journey - my Startup Success Bundle.
The Startup Success Bundle is perfect for you if you are looking for a step-by-step, actionable roadmap to build a successful startup. It's trusted by 50+ founders, so it's tried and tested, not theoretical stuff.
Click the button below and check it out!
2. Build your MVP
So, you've got your startup idea and you know people would pay for it - it’s time for step 2. It’s time to build your product.
But here’s where most founders go wrong.
I once talked to a founder who had a cool idea for an AI assistant.
He validated the idea and started building it.
Three months went by… then six months… then a year.
He was still trying to make it perfect.
And you know what happened?
After 2 years, nobody wanted it anymore.
So what was his mistake?
But here’s where most founders go wrong.
I once talked to a founder who had a cool idea for an AI assistant.
He validated the idea and started building it.
Three months went by… then six months… then a year.
He was still trying to make it perfect.
And you know what happened?
After 2 years, nobody wanted it anymore.
So what was his mistake?
👉 He wanted to make it perfect. He tried to build 100 features instead of solving just one main problem. Big mistake.
So remember this:
❌ You don’t need six months of coding.
❌ You don’t need twenty features.
✅ You just need to solve one real problem for your customers.
That’s your MVP - your minimum version that people would still pay for.
So in the beginning, forget the fancy design or extra stuff. Keep it simple.
At this stage, your goal is to test your idea fast and cheap - with real people.
In my first startup, our MVP wasn’t even code. It was just a clickable design.
And we showed it to people, got feedback, and improved it - and only then built the real product.
So remember - build something super small for now.
Something that just solves the main problem.
It doesn’t have to be perfect – it just has to work.
✏️ Question for you:
What is one simple thing you could build this week to test your idea with real people?
What is one simple thing you could build this week to test your idea with real people?
So once people actually use your MVP and love it, that’s when things get really exciting.
3. Test
Okay, you’ve got your MVP - your first quick and dirty version of your product. Now it’s time to get your first customers.
Now, there are many ways to get customers - and during my career, I’ve tried them all. But here’s the good news:
In the beginning, you only need one method to get your first customers - and it’s super easy:
→ Use your own network.
The best way to get early customers is to talk to people you already know - because they already trust you. But let me show you how to do this right, because you don't want to be the pushy salesperson.
Three simple steps:
1. Make a list of everyone you know – family, friends, old coworkers.
2. Sort them by who trusts you most. Like, family at the top, then friends, then coworkers.
3. Start reaching out (start from the top).
And here’s the important part:
❌ You don’t pitch your product.
❌ You don’t sell.
I mean, there’s no point in your mum buying your product.
Here’s a better way:
You quickly share what you’re working on, who you’re helping - and ask if they know someone in their network who might be interested.
So you could say something like:
“Hey Anna, I just launched my meditation app that helps people relax at work. Do you know anyone who might find it helpful?”
If they connect you with someone, you message that person in the same way. Keep it personal, keep it simple – and just ask if they’d like to try it.
This is one of the best ways to get early customers.
STARTUP WORKSHEETS, TEMPLATES, CHEAT SHEETS
Now, there are many ways to get customers - and during my career, I’ve tried them all. But here’s the good news:
In the beginning, you only need one method to get your first customers - and it’s super easy:
→ Use your own network.
The best way to get early customers is to talk to people you already know - because they already trust you. But let me show you how to do this right, because you don't want to be the pushy salesperson.
Three simple steps:
1. Make a list of everyone you know – family, friends, old coworkers.
2. Sort them by who trusts you most. Like, family at the top, then friends, then coworkers.
3. Start reaching out (start from the top).
And here’s the important part:
❌ You don’t pitch your product.
❌ You don’t sell.
I mean, there’s no point in your mum buying your product.
Here’s a better way:
You quickly share what you’re working on, who you’re helping - and ask if they know someone in their network who might be interested.
So you could say something like:
“Hey Anna, I just launched my meditation app that helps people relax at work. Do you know anyone who might find it helpful?”
If they connect you with someone, you message that person in the same way. Keep it personal, keep it simple – and just ask if they’d like to try it.
This is one of the best ways to get early customers.
4. Launch & Iterate
And once you’ve got your first – let's say 10 customers - we move on.
And here’s where a lot of founders mess up.
They think they’ve made it.
They’re done.
They’re superstars.
Don’t make that mistake.
If you want to build a really successful startup - don’t stop there.
Now it’s time to make your product even better.
And the best way to do that is to get customer feedback.
Super simple:
Go to your customers, ask what they love about your product - and what they’d like improved. That’s it. We keep it simple.
Now, in the beginning, I recommend you talk to your customers every week.
Later on, monthly is fine - but early on, stay super close to your customers.
→ Get as much feedback as you can
→ Focus on what comes up the most
→ Fix it fast
→ Repeat
That’s how you build a product people love.
And a startup that lasts.
And here’s where a lot of founders mess up.
They think they’ve made it.
They’re done.
They’re superstars.
Don’t make that mistake.
If you want to build a really successful startup - don’t stop there.
Now it’s time to make your product even better.
And the best way to do that is to get customer feedback.
Super simple:
Go to your customers, ask what they love about your product - and what they’d like improved. That’s it. We keep it simple.
Now, in the beginning, I recommend you talk to your customers every week.
Later on, monthly is fine - but early on, stay super close to your customers.
→ Get as much feedback as you can
→ Focus on what comes up the most
→ Fix it fast
→ Repeat
That’s how you build a product people love.
And a startup that lasts.
What's next
Now you know how to build your startup from scratch.
But if you really want to build a successful startup, how about a proven roadmap to help you build your startup faster and with less hassle - so you can gain financial freedom, support your family, and build something you truly believe in - WITHOUT feeling stuck or frustrated.
You can get this exact roadmap in my Startup Success Bundle.
Check it out now!
But if you really want to build a successful startup, how about a proven roadmap to help you build your startup faster and with less hassle - so you can gain financial freedom, support your family, and build something you truly believe in - WITHOUT feeling stuck or frustrated.
You can get this exact roadmap in my Startup Success Bundle.
Check it out now!