The Mom Test

How to talk to customers and learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you

Rob Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Amazon Fulfillment, 2013, 128 pages

ISBN: 978-1492180746

Keywords: Product Management, Entrepreneurship

Last modified: Nov. 11, 2022, 12:02 p.m.

Everyone is lying to you

They say you shouldn't ask your mom whether your business is a good idea, because she loves you and will lie to you. This is technically true, but it misses the point. You shouldn't ask anyone if your business is a good idea. It's a bad question and everyone will lie to you at least a little. It's not their responsibility to tell you the truth. It's your responsibility to find it.

It's worth doing right

Talking to customers is one of the foundational skills of both Customer Development and Lean Startup. We all know we're supposed to do it, but nobody seems willing to admit that it's easy to screw up.

This book is going to show you how customer conversations go wrong and how you can do better. It's a quick, practical guide that will save you time, money, and heartbreak.

  1. The Mom Test
  2. Avoiding bad ideas
  3. Asking important questions
  4. Keeping it casual
  5. Commitment and advancement
  6. Finding conversations
  7. Choosing your customers
  8. Running the process