The simplest (and best) way to know if a problem is real
by Jaryd Hermann
TL;DR: The Meme Viable Problem (MVP) is a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional validation. Instead of building landing pages or prototypes, capture your problem in a meme - a format that forces clarity and brevity. Share it with communities that might have the problem. If people engage, the problem is real. If they don't, you've learned one of three things in hours, not weeks: (a) it's not a real problem, (b) you haven't framed it right, or (c) you're targeting the wrong audience. All outcomes are valuable and cost $0. Memes prevent overthinking scope, force you to articulate the problem resonantly, and guide you to the right audience speaking their language. Traditional MVPs often focus on wrong things - memes cut to the heart of your core assumption.
Key Insights
- We've been overthinking MVPs - there's a simpler, faster, cheaper way to validate
- Meme Viable Problem: capture your problem in a meme and share with target community
- Memes are powerful communication: deep insight + relatability + brevity
- Memes force clarity and simplicity - prevent overthinking scope
- Making a meme checks that you understand the problem and can articulate it
- Traditional MVPs can focus on wrong things - memes get to heart of main assumption
- Memes guide you to: (1) the right audience, and (2) speaking their language
- If meme resonates = real problem. If not: (a) not real problem, (b) wrong framing, or (c) wrong audience
- All outcomes are validating and cost $0
- Validate problem in hours instead of weeks/months
Actionable Takeaways
- Before building anything, try to capture your problem in a meme
- Share memes in communities where your target audience congregates
- If meme doesn't resonate, iterate on framing or audience before building
- Use meme engagement as signal for problem validity
- Treat meme creation as a clarity exercise - if you can't meme it, do you understand it?
- Use meme comments to learn your audience's language