Validation Kits

# Whiskrr Validation Kit: Customer Interview

**Block:** PROBLEM | **Priority:** HIGH | **Hypotheses Covered:** H1, H2, H3

---

### Objective

This interview campaign tests whether your target customers genuinely experience the problem at the stated frequency and severity. Research flagged three gaps: (1) no direct evidence customers find this painful enough to pay to fix, (2) the frequency claim is unverified, and (3) no data on current workaround costs. These interviews address all three simultaneously.

---

### Hypotheses This Kit Addresses

- **H1** — Validates whether the core problem occurs at the stated frequency and severity
- **H2** — Confirms the root cause and who owns the pain in the organisation
- **H3** — Explores how customers currently work around the problem and what they spend

---

### Where to Execute

**Reddit Communities (public):**
- r/Singapore (1.2M members) — https://reddit.com/r/singapore — Post in weekly discussion threads; avoid direct solicitation
- r/startups (4.2M members) — https://reddit.com/r/startups — Strong for B2B SaaS and SME founder interviews
- r/SingaporeStartups (18K members) — https://reddit.com/r/SingaporeStartups — Highly relevant for Singapore market research
- r/smallbusiness (2.1M members) — https://reddit.com/r/smallbusiness — Good for SME operator pain points
- r/Entrepreneur (3.1M members) — https://reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur — Use "looking for feedback" flair

**LinkedIn (public search + groups):**
- LinkedIn Search: Filter by "Singapore" + target job title; send personalised connection requests with a 2-line screener
- Singapore Entrepreneurs Network (42K members) — search on LinkedIn Groups
- Startup Founders & Entrepreneurs Singapore (28K members) — LinkedIn Groups
- SME Business Owners Singapore (15K members) — LinkedIn Groups

**Slack Communities (public invite or free signup):**
- Startup SG Slack — register at https://startupsg.net — Active community of 5K+ SG founders and operators
- Product Hunt Makers Slack — https://producthunt.com/discussions — 50K+ product builders globally; strong SG contingent
- Indie Hackers Community — https://indiehackers.com — Strong for solo founders and early-stage B2B products

**Facebook Groups (public):**
- Singapore Entrepreneurs & Business Owners (32K members) — public group, search on Facebook
- SME Business Network Singapore (12K members) — public group

**Telegram (public channels):**
- SG Startup Hub — search "SG Startup Hub" on Telegram — 8K+ members
- Singapore Business Network — search on Telegram — 15K+ members

*Note: Verify group activity (last post within 30 days) before investing outreach time. Only approach in public threads or with explicit permission for DMs.*

---

### Interview Guide

**Opening (2 min)**
"Hi [Name], thanks for making time. I'm doing research on [the problem area]. There are no right or wrong answers — I'm just trying to understand your experience."

**Warm-Up (5 min)**
1. "Tell me about your role and what a typical week looks like."
2. "Walk me through the last time you encountered [the problem]. What happened?"

**Core Problem Questions (15 min)**
3. "How often does this happen? Can you give me a specific recent example?"
4. "What do you currently do to manage this? What tools or processes do you use?"
5. "What does it cost you — in time, money, or stress — when this goes wrong?"
6. "If this problem disappeared tomorrow, what would that mean for you or your team?"

**Willingness-to-Pay Questions (5 min)**
7. "Have you ever paid for a tool or service to deal with this? What did you pay?"
8. "If a solution existed that solved this reliably, what would you expect to pay per month?"

**Closing (3 min)**
9. "Is there anything I haven't asked that you think is important?"
10. "Who else do you know who has this problem — could you introduce me?"

---

### Screener Questions

Use these before booking to qualify respondents:

1. Have you personally experienced [the problem] in the past 3 months? (Must answer Yes)
2. What is your current role and company size? (Verify it matches your target persona)
3. Are you based in Singapore? (Required for country-specific market data)

---

### Scoring Rubric

| Criterion | PASS | FAIL |
|-----------|------|------|
| Problem frequency | Weekly or more | Monthly or less |
| Pain severity (self-rated 1–10) | 7 or above | 5 or below |
| Active workaround spend | Pays for tool or spends 3+ hrs/week | No structured process |
| Willingness to pay | States a specific price range | "I don't know" or "nothing" |

**PASS threshold:** 8 of 12 interviews confirm pain severity 7+ and weekly+ frequency.

---

### Budget & Timeline

| Item | Cost (SGD) |
|------|------------|
| Calendly (scheduling) | Free |
| LinkedIn outreach (organic) | Free |
| Incentives: SGD 20–30 gift card × 12 | SGD 240–360 |
| Note-taking tool (Notion free tier) | Free |
| **Total** | **SGD 240–360** |

**Time:** 3–4 weeks — 1 week recruiting + 2–3 weeks conducting 12–15 interviews

*AI-generated guidance. Communities, pricing and benchmarks may change. Only public communities are surfaced. Verify all links before using.*