Would you pay for this? is the worst question I was asking. Here's what replaced it

Every founder asks it. I asked it for weeks. It produces polite lies at a near-perfect rate, because people are answering a hypothetical about a future version of themselves.

Someone here gave me the replacement and it's obvious in hindsight: "What do you pay today to solve this?"

If the answer is a consultant, a six-month process, or a headcount, then I'm not creating a budget line, I'm competing for one that already exists. Vastly easier sale.

If the answer is "we just eat the risk", that's not a product problem, it's an education problem, and education problems take years and money I don't have.

The second question I stole from this thread: "who has to defend this decision internally?" That person is the buyer. Not whoever requests the work.

What's your version of the question that finally got you honest answers instead of encouragement?