This post is for budget-conscious founders, 9-to-5 career changers, and first-time solopreneurs looking for lean, practical ways to validate their ideas.

Choosing a business model might sound like a “later” decision, something you figure out after building your product. Your business model is the foundation of how your startup will survive, grow, and make money.

Every successful startup starts with an idea — but turning that idea into something real is where most aspiring founders get stuck.