Are you solving a problem worth solving?
A guide to problem fit for startups
Once you know your idea has potential, the next question is sharper and harder: Are you solving a real problem and for a real customer who urgently wants it solved? That is problem fit.
Problem fit is the foundation of your startup’s desirability. It is not about how innovative your solution is. It is about whether someone out there truly cares enough to take action, pay, or switch.
Let me walk you through what problem fit means, how to test it early, and how venture capitalists evaluate it.
What is problem fit?
Problem fit means you have identified a specific, meaningful pain point for a specific type of user, and they care enough to do something about it.
This shows up in:
Painkiller problems, not vitamins
Clear user segments, not vague “everyone” markets
Strong emotional or financial motivation to act
If you cannot describe the pain in one sentence or if your potential customer shrugs, you do not have problem fit yet.
The signs of a strong problem fit
Here is what you are looking for in early conversations and interviews:
Clear frustration: The user had already hacked together a workaround.
High frequency: The problem happens often enough to be annoying.
Real consequences: There is money, time, or reputation on the line.
Unprompted emotion: They vent about it without you pushing.
Example: Calendly succeeded because scheduling meetings over email was a clear pain that every knowledge worker recognized. The problem was common, annoying, and time-consuming, and people had already tried clumsy solutions.
Founders do not invent problems. They spot them where others have not built good enough solutions.
How to find problem fit
Narrow your user segment
Instead of “small business owners,” try “independent accountants in the Netherlands managing 15–30 clients.”Run problem interviews
Do not pitch your idea. Just ask about their current workflow. What is frustrating? What have they tried? What do they wish existed?Look for willingness to change
Not everyone with a problem is ready to switch. You are looking for pain that is sharp and action-ready.
Problem fit vs. solution fit
They are not the same.
Problem fit: You have identified a genuine, pressing issue for a clear customer.
Solution fit: You have designed something that solves it well enough for them to use, pay, or recommend.
Many founders skip straight to building features. However, without a strong, specific problem, the solution will be ineffective.
What VCs look for
At early stages, VCs invest in insight. They want to see that you have uncovered something painful that others have not solved well yet.
They ask:
Who feels this problem the most?
What have they tried before?
Why has it not been solved well already?
What is changing that makes now the right time?
A founder who deeply understands the user’s pain can stand out, even without a polished product.
Real-world signals you are close to problem fit
Users describe the problem in their own words before you prompt them
Your interviews get emotional or specific
People offer to try your idea, even before you show them a prototype
They refer others with the same pain
If you are not getting this kind of response, zoom in further.
Common pitfalls
Targeting a vague pain (“people don’t like paperwork”)
Projecting your assumptions without validating
Solving nice-to-have problems instead of urgent needs
Asking leading questions that bias interview responses
Wrap-Up: Nail the problem before the product
Great products do not start with features. They start with pain.
If you can find a problem that is painful, common, and urgent, your startup has traction before you even write a line of code.
Spend your early time here. The sharper your problem fit, the easier everything else becomes: solution, positioning, pricing, and growth.
Sources
Medium, Book Summary: The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick, Thaís Polonio
Eric Ries, The Lean Startup (2011)