I wasted 3 months on a failed feature. Now I validate in 3 days with video prototypes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2bAB-s-lb4
Last year I built an AI feature for my SaaS.
Beautiful UI. Clean code. Great architecture.
Launched it.
Crickets.
3 months of work. $20k+ in dev cost. Zero paying users.
The worst part? I could have known. I just didn't ask.
What I do now:
Instead of building MVPs, I create 60-90 second video prototypes.
Think: explainer video meets user testing.
Show the experience. Ask "would you pay?" Get data in 3 days.
Cost: ~$10-50 in AI tools + 3 hours
vs. $20k+ and 3 months for a failed MVP
The process:
Day 1: Interview you, understand the feature
Day 2-3: Create video prototype (AI-assisted)
Day 4-5: Run targeted survey with your users
Deliverable: Raw data + analysis + "build or kill" recommendation
Why it works:
Users respond to seeing the experience, not reading specs.
A 60-sec video gets 3x more engagement than a landing page.
And "would you pay $X?" is the only question that matters.
What I need now:
I'm validating this service (meta, I know).
Looking for 3 indie hackers/small teams with a feature idea they're unsure about.
You get:
- Free video prototype
- Free survey execution
- Free analysis
I get:
- Case study (anonymized if you prefer)
- Brutal feedback on the process
Who's a fit:
- Solo founder or 2-3 person team
- B2B SaaS or developer tools
- Feature idea with clear user value
- Haven't built it yet (crucial)
Comment below with:
- What you're building
- What feature you want to validate
- Who your users are
I'll pick 3 based on clarity and fit. First come, first served.
Questions welcome. Brutal honesty especially welcome.
I learned the hard way so you don't have to.
