Why Startup Playbooks Aren't Enough in 2025

Over the last couple of years, I’ve attended quite a few startup accelerator programs, both online and offline. I’ve read tons of books, watched countless videos, and taken part in plenty of workshops. What I found is that not everything you hear at these startup schools is going to work exactly as promised, especially today in 2025.

Why you should even listen to me? Fair question. I’ve launched two SaaS products, and one of them, The Micro Vault, is picking up real traction right now. I’ve also worked closely with several other startups, partnering as their technical consultant, so I’ve seen firsthand what’s effective and what’s just theory.

These experiences taught me one key thing. That the startup game has changed, and the advice we follow needs to evolve with it. Let me share a few things these programs often tell founders, and why I think it’s smart to rethink them.

1. “Validate Your Idea Before Building Anything”

Validating your idea is important. But let's be realistic. Today's customers don't really care about your PowerPoint slides or filling out Google surveys. They’ve got too many distractions and very little patience. If you want genuine feedback, you need to show them something real. Something they can click, swipe, or actually interact with.

If, for instance, say you're creating a new fitness app. You might first think about sending out a detailed questionnaire asking people about their exercise habits. But people aren't great at imagining a new product from just a description. Instead, if you quickly mock up a clickable prototype showing the key feature, which could well be a new way to track workouts, the responses you get will be far more insightful.

Also, sometimes customers don’t know they have a particular problem until you show them a possible solution. They do not realise there could be a better and more efficient way to work unless you take them through it. You can’t validate something customers haven’t realised is an issue.

2. “Ask Customers to Pay Before Building Your Product”

Few years ago, convincing customers to pay upfront was considered a valid proof that your idea was solid. If someone pays, the product must have real value. But honestly, that’s not how things usually work today, unless your idea is truly revolutionary or completely new to the market.

Most ideas nowadays are about improving something that already exists, doing it faster, better, or easier. If you're launching another project management app or yet another food delivery service, why would customers hand over money upfront? From their point of view, you're just another option in a crowded market.

Instead, focus on getting your customers involved early on. Ask for their opinions, run beta tests, let them interact with your prototype, and genuinely listen to their feedback. Don’t try to demand upfront payments. Instead, send them a trial of your product, and ask for their time and insights. This would prove far more valuable than any early payments.

3. “Make Your MVP as Lean as Possible”

If your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) feels too bare-bones or unfinished, customers simply won’t care. They'll look at it, shrug it off as another half-baked product, and move on. Trust me, it happens all the time.

You have to balance simplicity with a sense of completeness. Instead of an MVP, think more about a Minimum Desirable Product, something basic but polished enough that users instantly see why it's useful.

Keep your MVP simple, but never sacrifice clarity or quality. Let your users see the value and appreciate the thought you've put into it.

4. “Gut Feeling Isn’t Enough”

You’ll often hear startup experts saying that gut feeling alone isn’t enough. You can't make every decision just based on intuition. But completely ignoring your instincts isn't wise either.

As a founder, you need to trust yourself. If you're not fully convinced about your own idea, how can you expect anyone else to believe in it? When I started The Micro Vault, there were moments when data or advice didn’t fully align with my instincts. But because I genuinely believed in the idea, I moved forward confidently, and it paid off.

Do your research, validate your assumptions, and gather feedback. But don’t discount your instincts entirely. Trusting yourself can often be the difference between giving up too soon and pushing through to success.

Think Critically, Not Conventionally

Today, with so many AI-assisted tools and resources at your fingertips, it’s easier than ever to build something tangible before approaching customers. As a founder, be ready to wear multiple hats: developer, marketer, salesperson, and more.

Startup schools, accelerators, and mentors give you useful insights, but their advice isn’t a set of rigid rules. The startup landscape has shifted significantly, especially after the pandemic, and what worked a few years ago might not work now.

My advice? Take what you learn from startup programs, but always question if it still makes sense in your situation. Trust your instincts, be ready to adapt, and don't hesitate to rewrite the rules. After all, successful entrepreneurship isn’t about following a textbook, it’s about writing your own story.