Your First 90 Days: Validate, Measure, Scale

Core Principle: Repeatability precedes scalability. VCs fund the repeatability signal.

Overview: The 3-Phase Framework

DAYS 1-30          DAYS 31-60         DAYS 61-90
─────────          ──────────         ──────────

• 20+              • 5 paying         • 5 MORE
  conversations      customers          customers

• Build v0.1       • Install SLOs     • Prove
                                        repeatability

• Legal            • Metrics          • Decide:
  foundation         dashboard          raise or fix

VALIDATE           MEASURE            SCALE

DAYS 1-30: VALIDATE

Goal: Prove people have the problem and will pay to solve it

Week 1: Foundation

Legal Setup (Do This First)

• [ ] Day 1: Incorporate (Delaware C-Corp)
• [ ] Day 1: Vesting agreement signed
• [ ] Day 1: IP assignment to company
• [ ] Day 2: Startup lawyer consultation ($500-$1K)
• [ ] Day 3: Bank account opened
• [ ] Day 5: Accounting system (QuickBooks, Xero)

Customer Discovery Prep

• [ ] List 50 people to talk to: Name, company, role, how to reach
• [ ] ICP hypothesis: Who has budget + urgency + authority?
• [ ] Problem hypothesis: What pain do they have?