Starting a business or adding a new service or product is always exciting—but launching without validating your idea is like making a plan of care without doing an eval! Here’s a practical checklist to qualify your business idea and set yourself up for success:
✅ Step 1: Define the Problem Clearly
Why it matters:
You’re trained to solve clinical problems—apply that to the business space. If the problem isn’t clearly defined, your solution won’t stick.
- Ask yourself: What exact challenge am I solving?
- Who is affected by this challenge (clients, caregivers, clinicians, systems)?
- Is the problem a migraine that people would pay to solve it or a headache that’s annoying but avoidable?
✅ Step 2: Define your Target Customer
Why it matters:
A great idea with the wrong audience is a wasted opportunity. You need to know everything about the specific person who benefits from your solution so you can speak directly to their needs and make it easy for them to say yes.
- What’s their age, role, and daily life like? (e.g., a 45-year-old daughter caring for her 78-year-old dad, or a discharge planner coordinating post-hospital care)
- What problem keeps them up at night—and how does your solution relieve it?
- What are their top goals related to safety, independence, or convenience?
- Where do they currently go for help (online searches, clinics, Facebook groups)?
- What’s their spending comfort zone or ability to access funds (private pay, insurance, community grants)?
- Are they the final decision-maker, or do they need approval from others (family, healthcare providers, payers)?
💡Tip: Write down this ideal customer profile and give them a name. You might make a mood board or even grab a doll that represents the person. Do something to keep this ideal customer super top of mind so that all of your decisions are in service of that profile.
✅ Step 3: Validate the Demand
Why it matters:
You don’t want to build something no one will use.
- Conduct surveys or informal interviews.
- Offer a mini version of your service for feedback.
- Analyze if people are already paying for similar services or products.
💬 Tip: Interview (without promoting your idea first!) at least 5–10 potential users or referral partners to validate assumptions. For a deep dive and sample interview questions read Planning Something New!
✅ Step 4: Check for Competition
Why it matters:
Competition is a sign there's a market. But you need to know how you’ll differentiate.
- Who else is solving this problem? (Direct or indirect)
- What’s missing from their solution that you can provide better?
- What makes your approach (especially your OT lens) unique?
🌟 Use your clinical insight to position yourself differently. Ex: Personalized, function-first, client-centered solutions.
✅ Step 5: Evaluate Feasibility
Why it matters:
You have limited time, money, and energy. Make sure the way you are going to solve this problem is doable.
- What are your startup costs?
- What’s your timeline to launch?
- Do you need licenses, partnerships, or software?
📊 Tip: Create a simple budget and a timeline. Create an MVP (minimum viable product) to start. Pull together the bare minimum tools you need to solve the problem and get started before you invest in the real tools you need to build the business and create value for your ideal customer…because I guarantee you what you really need will change after you start!
✅ Step 6: Plan for Sustainability
Why it matters:
Burnout is real. You want a business that supports your life—not the other way around.
- How will you generate consistent revenue?
- What’s your pricing model (subscription, hourly, packages)?
- Can this scale beyond just you?
🔧 Consider tools like software as a service (SaaS) platforms, group programs, or partnerships to grow over time.
✅ Step 7: Align With Your Values and Lifestyle
Why it matters:
Your business is a reflection of your purpose. Make sure it aligns with what matters to you.
- Does this idea energize you?
- Can it evolve with your career and life stage?
- Are you solving a problem you’re passionate about?
You have to love it because it takes a LOT of time upfront that is often uncompensated to get to the point of feeling some momentum. It’s the passion to solve the problem or serve the ideal customer that will get you through!
Final Thoughts: Validate Early to Launch Strong
This checklist is not meant to discourage you. It’s designed to save you time and set you up for a fast, focused start. When your idea is new, tweaking or pivoting is easy and low-cost. But once you’ve started building—investing time, money, and reputation—making changes gets much more expensive.
Validating your idea now means you can move forward with confidence and clarity, knowing you’ve pressure-tested your assumptions and built a business that meets a real need.
If you’re looking for a simple but powerful framework to organize your thoughts, I highly recommend reading Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder. It walks you through the Business Model Canvas, which is perfect for mapping your OT business idea with clarity and strategy.
You’ve got this! Thoughtful planning is the OT way—let’s use that superpower in business too.