The most expensive mistake in startups is not building the wrong product. It is building any product before you know the problem is worth solving.

You can avoid months of wasted work with a one-week test. Not a full MVP. Not a prototype with every feature. A focused sprint that answers a single question: will anyone care enough to act?

Here is the rule: in seven days, you should be able to collect evidence that people want the outcome, not just the idea.

Day 1: Define the pain in one sentence. If you cannot explain the problem in 15 words, you do not understand it yet. Write the sentence and keep it visible.

Day 2: Find 10 people who live with that pain. Not friends. Not random clicks. Real potential users. Ask them about their current workaround. If they do not have one, the pain is probably not sharp enough.

Day 3: Offer a tiny version of the outcome. It can be a manual service, a spreadsheet, a simple guide, or a concierge workflow. The goal is not scale. The goal is proof.

Day 4: Charge something. Even a small price forces honesty. People will say they like your idea for free. They will pay only if it solves a problem that matters today.

Day 5: Measure effort versus value. If you had to work all night to deliver a tiny result, the business may be too labor-heavy. If you can deliver quickly and people are still thrilled, you have leverage.

Day 6: Listen for the pull. Do people ask when they can use it again? Do they refer others without being pushed? That is the signal you are looking for.

Day 7: Write the decision. Continue, pivot, or stop. Most founders skip this step. They keep building because it feels productive. A clear decision keeps you honest.

This test is small, but it creates clarity. It turns vague enthusiasm into concrete evidence. It also gives you a rare advantage: you can learn faster than your competitors because you are not guessing.

If the week shows weak interest, that is not failure. It is a gift. You just saved yourself months of work. If the week shows real pull, you now have something better than a pitch deck. You have proof.

Startups do not die because of a lack of vision. They die because founders fall in love with the build instead of the problem. The one-week startup test keeps the focus where it belongs: on the people you are trying to help, and on whether they are willing to act.