How to Validate Your MVP: Strategic Product Frameworks for Solo & Non-technical Founders
Join us for an intimate workshop where design meets strategy — because building something people want is just as critical as building something that works.
Too many early-stage founders dive straight into development without truly understanding their customers' deepest needs. The result? Products that don't resonate, pitches that leave you ghosted, and founders stuck in endless iteration cycles without seeing a dime of revenue.
This session is about breaking that pattern.
We're partnering with Startup Design Partners (SDP) to show you the secret sauce behind how top tech enterprises and studios build today – transforming your perspective of product creation that integrates seamlessly into your current workflows and team structure today. You’ll learn why creating exceptional experiences that speak directly to your customers' hearts is everything. Less friction. More conversion. More empathy for the people you're building for – resulting in increasing (or lets be real, just making) revenue with real buying customers.
You'll learn:
How to validate your concept through customer-centric design thinking
Frameworks for translating customer insights into product decisions that drive conversion
How strategic design reduces time-to-market and investor risk
Why design isn't just "making things pretty" – it's your market maker
Founders walk away with:
A one-page framework you can immediately use to:
Validate your assumptions with real customer conversations
Reprioritize your roadmap based on actual customer needs
Craft more compelling messaging that speaks to emotional + functional jobs
Who should attend: Early-stage, first-time founders who want to build the right thing and not waste time on products that don't resonate with the right investors or customers.
Agenda
Intros (5-10min)
Design as your hidden strategy partner to product success (10min)
Strategic framework exercise:
Customer Jobs-to-be-Done mini sprint (45min) - Invite link to FigJam
Part 1: The Customer Journey Mapping (15 min)
Part 2: Jobs-to-be-Done Analysis (15 min)
Part 3: Product-Market Fit Gaps (10 min)
Part 4: Action Planning (5 min)
How to get early-stage support from SDP (5min)
Q&A (20min)
Christie Kaplan is a visionary design leader, artist and entrepreneur – making her a unique voice in the intersection of business and creativity.
She brings an empathetic and authentic leadership style to her work, shaping her mission of empowering designers and founders to build with intention and a deeper purpose right from the start.
Her experience in the startup and product world is extensive. With over 12 years crafting digital products with C-Suite Executives for Startups and Fortune 500 companies, she is now bringing her expertise to founders and design founders who need it the most.
Hosts:
Startup Design Partners (SDP): SDP partners with ambitious founders and matches them with Top Fractional Design Cofounders, providing access to top-tier design leadership with deep expertise in each founder's specific industry. SDP supports founders throughout their entire venture journey, from idea to exit, helping them build products strategically without the high costs of attracting full-time top talent or diluting equity along the way: startupdesignpartners.com
Funding Breakthrough Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pre-accelerator that helps founders strategize, fundraise, and grow their startups. With a mission to build a better tomorrow, we’ve created a thriving community of over 19,000+ subscribers where education, networks, and resources come together to unlock founder potential.
We specialize in helping early-stage entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of fundraising—whether through grants, venture capital, or alternative funding paths—while championing diversity, inclusion, and authenticity.
Founded by Natalie Pan, an engineer, community builder, and executive coach, Funding Breakthrough Lab provides the tools and support you need to move from idea to investment.
Apply now for the next cohort and gain the credibility, connections, and confidence to secure funding for your startup: fundingbreakthroughlab.org