Five questions breaking founders

It's close to midnight. If you're like me, working hours are meaningless. We're both still awake, trying to drive our business forward.
But I have an advantage: not more funding, more people or more energy. Experience.
I've spent years in strategy, operations, delivering and fixing projects.
Many succeeded. Others - failed.

Before I decided to build VXS, I asked myself five questions. They weren’t comfortable. But they were necessary.
If you’re building anything real, you’ll face them too, and I encourage you to answer them as soon as possible.

1. What exactly does it take to turn my idea into a business?

I like to think of ideas just like cherry flowers:
In spring, the entire tree is blooming, and it's a beautiful sight to behold.

But only maybe one in ten flowers turns into a fruit.
And maybe two out of ten budding fruits ever become ripe.
And even then - the birds might pick the cherry before you do.
You plant the tree for the few that make it worthwhile.
But: do you know how to plant, nurture and grow that tree called "business,"
Or are you just beholden to the beauty of the flower of your idea?

Your check-in?

I’m building the product. Customers will come once they see it.

I have some user interest but no plan for revenue yet.

I’ve mapped how the product solves a painful problem and how I’ll monetize it.

I’m validating the market, pricing, and value delivery before scaling.

2. Why would someone pay me instead of solving it themselves or using something else?

Trust me: You can't ask your friends if your business idea is good. They will be supportive. But if you want to have a business, you need someone who pays.
And many people will say "I like the idea," just because they're polite, but they'll vote something else with their wallet.
A real business answers this: why now, why you, why this way. And if you can’t say that without flinching, you’re gambling, not solving.

Your check-in?

My solution is unique. No one else has thought of it.

I’m not sure, but people seem interested when I talk about it.

I offer better bang for the buck than anyone else.

I’ve clearly positioned my offer with a compelling “why now / why me.”

3. Do I have a repeatable path to revenue?

Building a product is only a small facet of building a business.
Too many founders spend too much energy on building their product, and too little on the business. (Guilty as charged.)
Especially those of us with tech affinity may prefer the hours of digging in code over spending time on the intangible, hard part of finding leads, driving conversion, and generating repeat business.
Please don't ask me how many flaky business models I've seen: most are, even though their founders are willing to bet their own health and life savings on them.
I don't want you to gamble. Please invest wisely.

Your check-in?

I haven’t made a sale yet, but people will love it once it's ready.

I closed one or two deals but don’t know how to repeat them.

I have a sales process, but it still feels uncertain.

I know what type of customer converts, how, and why - and have a track record.

4. Can I explain how money flows through my business in under a minute?

Let's keep it simple. You get money from somewhere, do something with that, and that should give you more money in the future. That's what a business does. Where does it come from, what's it going to be used for? How do you know it's working?
The technician in me doesn't like this question, because I believe in a great product, and the quality and value of what I do. But a business needs to survive. Money is the lifeblood of your company, and you're the physician who must be able to quickly and effectively diagnose and cure it, or your patient dies under your care.

Your check-in?

I’m still figuring out my pricing and costs.

I can explain my vision, but not the financial mechanics.

I know what I charge, but not all the moving parts.

I can explain value creation, delivery, and capture clearly.

5. What happens when I’m not in the room?

As a founder-visionary, solo-builder, I am everything.
I had the idea. I do the implementation. I set up the strategy. Do the execution. Build the product, do marketing, and sales. Operations. And - it was killing me.
At some point, I needed help. Others who will scale me. Be there, when I am not. Do what I don't have the time to do. Carry me when I am at my limit.
And I can't carry them. So: What's your means for making sure that you aren't both the fuel, and the engine?

Your check-in?

I’m still doing everything myself.

Some things happen, but I often need to step in.

My team can execute, but I still make all the decisions.

My business runs with clear systems, priorities, and accountability - even without me.

Start with your first strategic check-in. Then decide if it’s worth continuing.