Two-Degree Idea Validation
Test demand with strangers before investing in the idea
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 98%
Create a short Google survey that respondents can complete in about two minutes, using multiple-choice questions wherever possible. Instead of treating friends and family as the research sample, ask them to distribute the survey to coworkers, classmates, relatives, and other people who do not know the founder. This two-degree separation reduces supportive bias and produces more candid preference data. Gather at least 100 responses for a useful directional signal, then compare the strongest options rather than searching for unanimous approval. Michelle used this process to determine that customers preferred a ready-to-drink beverage and to narrow product attributes before committing significant resources. The output is not final proof of a market, but a prioritized hypothesis ready for social and real-world testing.
Origin
Michelle Cordeiro Grant used this process while testing wellness product concepts that eventually became Gorgie. Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show.
Core principles
- 01Strangers provide less biased feedback than supporters
- 02Multiple-choice questions make participation easy
- 03A small sample can reveal directional demand
- 04Customer preferences should shape the first prototype
How to run it
- 1
Frame the decision
Define the specific product choices the research must resolve, such as format, features, flavors, or benefits.
Pro tip Ask about choices respondents can easily understand without a lengthy explanation.
Watch out Do not use the survey to seek general encouragement for an already-fixed idea.
- 2
Build a two-minute survey
Create a short Google survey on a phone or computer and make the questions predominantly multiple choice.
Pro tip Test the survey yourself to ensure it can genuinely be completed in two minutes.
Watch out Long surveys increase abandonment and reduce forwarding.
- 3
Recruit through two degrees
Send the survey to personal contacts, but ask them to forward it to people who do not know you.
Pro tip Suggest specific recipients such as coworkers, college friends, babysitters, or adult children.
Watch out Do not count supportive friends and family as the primary validation sample.
- 4
Reach a directional sample
Collect at least 100 independent responses and continue gathering data if answers remain fragmented.
Pro tip Track how preferences change as the sample grows.
Watch out Treat the findings as directional evidence, not statistically representative market proof.
- 5
Turn patterns into a prototype
Select the strongest preferences and incorporate them into the next concept or prototype for further testing.
Pro tip Preserve the response percentages so later behavior can be compared with stated preferences.
Watch out Do not manufacture at scale based on survey answers alone.
In the wild
Michelle asked people whether they wanted supplements delivered as food, powder, or a ready-to-drink product. About 82% preferred a ready-to-drink beverage, while 40% expressed interest in food, giving the team a strong direction for the next prototype.
→ The team prioritized a ready-to-drink energy and wellness beverage.
A founder considering a planner, mobile app, or email service sends a two-minute survey through personal contacts to people outside the founder's network. Once more than 100 responses show a strong preference for a daily email, the founder builds a lightweight email prototype first.
→ The founder tests the preferred format before funding a more expensive application.
Common mistakes
Surveying only supporters
Friends and relatives may say an idea is excellent because they care about the founder. Use them as distributors rather than the core sample.
Asking broad essay questions
Open-ended questions increase effort and make patterns harder to compare. Use clear multiple-choice options for the principal decisions.
Treating interest as a purchase
Survey preferences identify a promising direction but do not prove that customers will pay. Follow with behavioral tests.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for founders comparing product formats, features, ingredients, or customer preferences before building.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for decisions requiring representative scientific research or highly specialized expert judgment.
From the transcript
“Two minute Google survey created on your iPhone. Make it multiple choice and then send it to two degrees of separation, meaning it cannot be…”
“And now you are getting statistical data on what people want that don't know you.”
“And like once I get over 100, I feel like I'm in a good spot.”
From the episode
Creating Brand Loyalty, Social Media Virality, and User-Generated Content with Michelle Cordeiro Grant
Michelle Cordeiro Grant