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What is the best way to test your idea while on the job before getting in full time? It's not easy, but it can be done. Anecdote: my approach has been to build "stuff" related to my idea, using my nights and weekends to code away. After reaching a point where I had a reasonable demo of some of my ideas built, I started calling on friends, former co-workers, acquaintances, etc. - people I considered to be smart, insightful and thoughtful - and arranging to meet with them (over lunch, before work, after work, whatever) and go over things and get their thoughts. I'm at the point now where I'm about to embark on a more formal process using @sgblank's "Customer Development Methodology" approach. Some key points seem, to me, to be this: It's going to take some sacrifice and stretching yourself... giving up nights and weekends that could be spent going out with friends, or playing sports, or reading, or any number of other leisure activities. It takes flexibility... if you're trying to squeeze meetings in around a day-job, you may have to get up early (not easy if you're not a "morning person") for a breakfast meeting, or hustle from work to a meeting location across town for an after-work meeting. Leverage your network of friends, acquaintances, former co-workers, etc. Get preliminary feedback from them, and ask them to refer you to other people that you might need to interact with. It helps if your day-job employer is fairly laid-back and accommodating. I have the luxury of having a day-job where I can get away with the occasional 2-hour lunch, or where I can leave an hour early, or come in an hour late, or take a half-day off, etc., to chase my entrepreneurial ambitions, and they don't mind (as long as it doesn't interfere with me getting work done). If your day-job isn't like that, it'll be a lot tougher. |