The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
Problem-Pay Matrix
A 2x2 matrix evaluating opportunities based on pain level (high/low) and willingness to pay (high/low) to identify viable MicroSaaS ideas
How It Works
Filters ideas by both problem severity and customer willingness to pay, ensuring you build something people both need and will pay for
Components
Assess pain level through user research and observation
Evaluate willingness to pay through pricing research and competitor analysis
Target High Pain + High Willingness to Pay quadrant
Avoid Low Willingness to Pay quadrants regardless of pain level
Validate assumptions through customer interviews
When to Use
During idea validation phase, especially when choosing between multiple potential MicroSaaS concepts
When Not to Use
For free products, social impact projects, or when building for personal use without monetization intent
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Example
“A founder identifies that small business owners have high pain around permit paperwork (high pain) and currently pay lawyers $200/hour for help (high willingness to pay), making it a strong MicroSaaS opportunity”
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