To validate an agency idea, ask experienced operators to explain why it could fail and potential customers what they would pay for a pilot. A concrete buying decision tells you more than encouragement.
Originally shared in March 2026. The launch cadence and revenue goals describe the plan at that time.
Ask better questions
I'm launching a new business every 90 days. Each concept is completely unique.
No one can be an expert in that many domains at once, so I have to rapidly educate myself on a space to do this with any credibility.
The way I do that is through my network.
It's pretty extensive, some of the smartest people in the world on any given topic. But I learned early on that the conversations you have with your network are only as good as the questions you ask.
Most people waste these conversations.
They come in with "isn't this great, should I do it?" and get back "yeah, totally, go for it." Nobody's going to crush your enthusiasm unprompted.
Getting the no-BS take requires a different set of questions.
Stress-test the idea
Here's what I ask:
- Try to talk me out of this. If it fails, why does it fail?
- Is there real demand right now, or is this a fuzzy future-state bet?
- What does the CEO specifically need to be great at to pull this off?
- What is the market missing? Where are the actual gaps?
- Are there competitors already doing this well?
Ask for a paid pilot
And if they're a potential customer, I never ask "would you be interested?" I ask: Would you do a pilot? If I sent you a statement of work (SOW) tomorrow, what would you pay? Hold them to a money-on-the-line decision. If they cannot tell what they are buying, sharpen the offer with the one-sentence test first.
I need each of these businesses to hit a million in revenue within six months of launching. Every concept gets stress-tested this way before I spend a dollar on it.
About this article
Lightly edited from “I'm launching a new business every 90 days.” on LinkedIn ↗, originally shared by John Ghiorso on . The Journal edition was first published on September 8, 2026.
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