How Much Proof Does a Consumer Startup Need to Raise Money?

“Follow your dreams and quit your day job” is terrible advice.

That’s not me saying it. That’s Jon Keidan, founder and managing partner of Torch Capital, where he’s backed companies including Sweetgreen, Acorns and Zocdoc.

He has a better suggestion: before you blow up your life for a startup idea, find some proof that people actually want what you’re planning to build.

The bar may be lower than you think.

In this conversation, we break down how Jon evaluates consumer startups from the pain

point up, what makes a founder credible before there’s much traction, why he initially passed on Sweetgreen, and how to tell the difference between focus and distraction.

We end with a 30-day experiment you can run while you still have a paycheck to find out whether strangers care about your idea before you go all in.