Today, we'll run a 7-minute test on a startup idea I had over Thanksgiving. It's tackling a massive topic - email - but breaking it down into a manageable first customer and use case. You probably had a startup idea over the break, too, and you should use this framework to test it. The secret to startups is that there is no secret - you're more likely to hav ... Show More
Mar 2022
Great Startup Ideas, Bad Businesses
I sent out a tweet asking my followers: "what’s a startup idea that sounds great in theory but would be a shitty business?” 1,600 likes and 700 responses later, I'm running some of your ideas through the gauntlet and walking you through how I analyze and form business ideas. Chec ... Show More
15m 52s
Nov 2025
The Five Minute Business Idea Tester
The Five Minute Business Idea Tester In this episode of Join Up Dots, David Ralph dives into the question every aspiring entrepreneur faces — how do you know if your idea is actually worth pursuing? Inspired by a listener's email, David unpacks the 5-Minute Idea Test, a simple bu ... Show More
14m 1s
Jun 2022
Creating Startup Ideas (Classic)
In this episode, I talk about how to think of startup ideas and cultivating the mindset of a business brainstormer. And if you're interested in hearing more about the formation and growth of Notarize, check out my previous episode, What to Learn from a Business That 10x'd in 5 Qu ... Show More
12m 18s
May 2021
258. How to Break Even and Get Profitable, Fast
Ep. 258: Whether you're still in the start-up stages of your business or you're a seven-figure business thinking of trying something new, there's a test and try stage that can be limited in both time and money. Today, we're sharing our tips on how to break even & get profitable, ... Show More
23m 54s