Many of us have business ideas in our hearts – which is great! But the important thing is not the idea itself, but what you do with it. And to do this, you first have to test it before you invest a lot of time and money: Does your idea even strike a chord? Do your personal reality check! Here I'll show you how it works!

When the door opens and the founders enter “The Lion’s Den,” I always take my breath away. After all, we don't know what's waiting for us: Will we be presented with the next big thing?

With some founders, I know after just a few seconds that they will convince me and that I will do everything I can to get the deal. Everything is just right: the product, the presentation, the numbers and most importantly: the founders themselves!

There are also founders who are unlikely to entertain us, but whose business idea is not really well thought out. Some people make me wonder if they have even shown their product to anyone.

That's the big danger when starting a business: you're so in love with your idea that you don't even look left or right so you don't get sidetracked. It's much better to sink your teeth into every little detail than ever ask: Does anyone actually want what I'm coming up with? In the worst case scenario, the founder has developed a finished product at some point and had it produced in large quantities, built a website, invested money in marketing, only to realize that no one clicks on the “Buy” button.  

That's why the be-all and end-all of starting a business is: an early reality check.

The following questions must be clarified right from the start:

• Does anyone want to buy what I developed?
• Who do I want to address with this?
• Will I reach enough people with this or will it remain a niche product?
• What is the competition like and is there still room for a new product in this market?
• Can I make the product at a price that someone is willing to pay? And: What is the potential customer’s maximum willingness to pay?

There is only one way to clarify all these questions: Talk about it! I know that it is controversial whether you should talk about your business idea with others - after all, they could steal the idea. My opinion is very clear: Having a product idea is one thing. Bringing it to market and placing it successfully is another. What I want to say: The idea itself is worthless, what counts is the implementation! Most of the time, the first idea isn't as good as you initially think - many large companies have taken a completely different path than originally planned.

Only those who constantly work on their idea, question it and develop it further will turn it into a functioning business model. So ask those around you as early as possible what they think of your idea. Introduce them to potential investors and talk to partners who could later do business with you.

With just a few clicks you can also contact potential buyers directly. Using tools like Wufoo, online surveys can be created quickly and free of charge. Find out about your target group, what they value, how much they would be willing to spend and how they find possible brand names, for example. The more people you involve in this process, the more accurate the mood picture will be!

To find out whether your idea hits a nerve, it makes sense to build a community early on. This will give you a feel for whether there are any interested parties and – if so – you can bind future buyers directly to your brand. Anna Yona, founder of the barefoot shoes “Wildling”, did it like this: Her shoes weren’t even fully developed when she already set up a Facebook page. She documented the entire process of creating her brand here and took her followers along on her founding adventure.

If you are skilled at marketing (after all, someone has to notice you), crowdfunding is also an option: you can present your idea on various platforms and see very quickly whether people are willing to invest in you and your product. Many founders are afraid to take this route because they are worried that the campaign will not take off and that their idea will be “failed”. Honestly? If no one really wants to invest, there is little chance that millions will make it later. Means: Don't be afraid of the truth! Get early feedback on your idea - and have the strength to let go if it doesn't work. Believe me: a new idea will come!

If you already have a team and want to test out new business ideas, the Design Sprint is a great method. Jake Knapp developed this process for Google, but it works for any size company! The idea: We are so busy in our daily business (keyword: meeting madness!) that we often don't get the chance to work on a new idea for longer and in a structured manner. In the Design Sprint you and your team now take a whole week off, from Monday to Friday. After a fixed process, the new idea is put through its paces. At the end you have a prototype in your hand and have already received feedback from potential buyers and users. In this video series, Jake Knapp explains in detail what is happening each day. The advantage of the design sprint: You find out early on whether you are on the right path and don't waste money or know-how on an idea that doesn't work anyway.  

Now it's your turn, my dears! I hope I was able to inspire you a little about how important it is to put your business idea to the test early on. And always remember: I believe in you!