The Mom Test: How to Talk to Customers and Learn if Your Business Is a Good Idea When Everyone Is Lying to You

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“Mom, mom, I have an idea for a business — can I run it by you?” Fitzpatrick prints the thought running under each line. The son’s: I am about to expose my ego — please don’t hurt my feelings. Mom’s: You are my only son and I am ready to lie to protect you. He asks whether she’d buy a $40 cookbook app for her iPad, talks over her hesitation until she says it sounds amazing, then quits his job and sinks in his savings.

Rob Fitzpatrick on SummaryShelf

The Mom Test: How to Talk to Customers and Learn if Your Business Is a Good Idea When Everyone Is Lying to You