We didn’t write a single line of code to validate our SaaS idea.
And that’s probably why Slashit App exists today.
Before building anything, we did manual work.
I saved common replies in notes.
Copied text from old emails.
Kept drafts in random Google Docs.
It was slow.
And a bit messy.
But it showed the real problem.
Then I spoke with freelancers and small agencies.
Designers. Marketers. Developers.
No pitching.
No demos.
I only asked:
→ what do you type again and again?
→ where do you lose time every day?
→ what annoys you about client messages?
The answers were almost the same.
→ rewriting the same messages
→ switching tools too often
→ losing copied text
→ wanting to reply fast but still sound human
That’s when patterns showed up.
Not feature ideas.
Real habits.
Only after that did we decide build Slashit App.
A simple text expander.
Templates, snippets, rewrite sentence with AI and clipboard history.
Nothing more.
Slashit App came from a workflow first.
Not an idea first.
That’s how we validate Slashit App before writing full code.
Here is the website: https://www.slashit.app/
This is a really smart and practical framework. I like how it shifts hiring from “who sounds impressive” to “where could this fail,” which is where real risk lives. The specificity and context tests are especially useful, and the Airtable automation makes it easy to scale. This is the kind of system that saves founders time, money, and bad hires.
This is a great example of validating from real behavior, not assumptions. One channel that aligns perfectly with this approach is Reddit, freelancers and agency owners openly discuss these exact workflow frustrations in high-intent threads that rank on Google for years. When a tool like Slashit is introduced inside those conversations (as a solution, not a pitch), it can drive consistent, compounding MRR without ads.'
Great work on validating ideas. I'm on the same boat now, trying to validate the idea for my app
Congrats on the milestone. Did your validation focus more on behaviour (what users actually did) or stated feedback? I’ve found those two often tell very different stories early on.
The manual work first approach is smart. most people skip validation and jump straight to building.
How long did you do manual work before deciding to build? and what made you confident people would actually pay for it?
btw $1000 MRR in 4 months is solid for a productivity tool.
good work!
The question framing is the part most people skip. "What do you type again and again" gets you way more signal than "would you use a text expander" - because you're asking about behavior, not hypotheticals.
Curious about one thing: when you got those patterns back (rewriting messages, switching tools, losing clipboard), how did you decide which to build first? Did one come up more often, or was there something that felt like the entry point to everything else?
Validation first (ads, DMs, interviews) before coding.
Honestly, perfect web design, really beautiful. I think the function is useful, just like practice a personal writing assistant?
Market research, MVP launches, real-time feedback, and continuous optimization help turn concepts into profitable products that achieve $1,000 MRR in four months or less.
I feel like the understated is the highlight here.
"Then I spoke with freelancers and small agencies." == TALKING TO CUSTOMERS
Love this approach....starting with real workflows instead of pitching features. Observing habits first, then building a tool to remove friction, is such a smart way to validate before code. Shows that solving actual pain beats chasing ideas.
the validation wasn’t about speed or volume, but about keeping the sequence tight. Once the order of steps is clear, even small signals start to compound.
that's really insipiring!
Thank you. Any other way you validate?
Workflow first, idea second is such an underrated approach.
yup 🔥
TL;DR: Before jumping into product development, validation is important.
Exactly ❤️
That's cool! Slashit App illustrates this approach perfectly.
Thanks man 🙌