If you’re thinking about adding something new—a product, a service, a program, a nonprofit initiative, or even expanding what you already have—this is the pause you need before you spend money, announce anything publicly, or build yourself into a corner.

Because here’s the truth most people learn the hard way:

You can’t build in isolation.
But you also can’t invite everyone to the table.

That’s where people get tripped up. They either build alone and hope it works, or they ask everyone they know and end up overwhelmed, discouraged, and confused.

Market testing done well is neither of those things.

Let’s clear something up first.

Market testing is not:

Polling Instagram and letting strangers decide your future

Asking people who’ve never bought from you what you should sell

Looking for validation that your idea is “good”

Market testing is:

Asking whether a real problem exists

Understanding if your idea solves that problem

Learning how people experience, understand, and value what you’re building

You’re not asking Should I do this?
You’re asking If I do this, does it solve something real for someone real?

That distinction matters.

Because the moment you ask the wrong people the wrong questions, your confidence takes a hit—not because the idea is bad, but because the feedback is irrelevant.

Most people skip this part entirely.

You don’t need “everyone’s opinion.”
You need two intentional circles.

These are the people already invested in you and your mission.

They:

Know your work

Understand your audience

Care enough to be honest

Can tell you when something doesn’t fit

Your inner circle helps you answer questions like:

Is this aligned with what I already do?

Does this make sense based on my audience?

What am I not seeing?

These are not hype people.
They’re also not dream killers.

They’re grounded truth-tellers.

Examples:

For nonprofits: board leadership, long-time volunteers, trusted donors, community partners

For businesses/services: existing clients, members, advisors, collaborators, people who’ve already purchased from you

If you skip your inner circle, you risk building something that looks good—but doesn’t actually fit.

Your outer circle comes later.

These people represent your broader market. They’re less emotionally invested, which makes their feedback incredibly valuable at the right stage.

Outer circle feedback helps answer:

Would someone pay for this?

Do they understand it quickly?

Does it solve something urgent or meaningful?

Outer circle feedback is about validation, not design.

Here’s where this gets practical.

Instead of thinking in terms of people, think in terms of roles.
One person can wear more than one hat—but no one should wear them all.

1. The Vision Hat (You)
This is your mission, your why, your non-negotiables. No one else gets to decide this.

2. The Reality Hat
This person asks:

How will this actually work?

What does this require operationally?

What’s the time and energy cost?

They protect you from burnout—even when it feels uncomfortable.

3. The Market Hat
This person understands:

Buyer behavior

Attention spans

Messaging clarity

They help translate your idea into something the world can understand.

4. The Financial Hat
This person looks at:

Breakeven points

Risk

Sustainability

This hat is especially important for nonprofits and service-based businesses.

5. The User Hat
This is lived experience.

This is where assumptions get challenged—in the best way.

The mistake?
Asking one person to wear all five hats.

That’s too much weight—and it skews feedback fast.

No matter what you’re launching, do these five things first:

Define the problem clearly
If you can’t say it in one sentence, you’re not ready.

Identify who it’s for — and who it’s not
This protects you from scope creep and burnout.

Test with conversation, not commitment
Listen for patterns, not praise.

Run a low-risk pilot
Small group. Limited time. Clear boundaries.

Evaluate before expanding
What worked? What drained you? What surprised you?

Market testing is about learning before scaling.

Your idea doesn’t need more opinions.
It needs the right people, at the right time, wearing the right hats.

That’s how you protect both the work—and yourself.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, behind, or like your time is constantly slipping through your fingers, it’s not because you’re doing it wrong.

It’s because no one ever taught you how to manage time in a way that honors:

Energy

Priorities

Real life

That’s why I host my live-only Time & Productivity Session — focused on implementation, not theory.

And if you’re craving connection, accountability, and honest conversations about building something that lasts, you’ll find that inside The Patch, the Dandelion-Inc membership.

Because staying in the game?
That’s the work — and it’s enough.