Article Preface
At BYU–Hawaii, our academic year is divided into three semesters. Fall and Winter each span 15 weeks, while Spring semester is a brisk 9 weeks. During the longer semesters, I assign my students two books that I believe every entrepreneur should read: Talking to Humans and Testing with Humans by Giff Constable and Frank Rimalovski.
These books are incredibly practical and well-written. However, in Spring semester, time becomes our greatest challenge. It is not easy to condense 15 weeks of material into 9 without compromising the quality of the learning experience.
To help address this, I teamed up with AI to develop a series of short articles that capture the core lessons from these texts. The article below is the first in that series, focusing on Talking to Humans.
Students will find both books available for free through our Canvas course. For any curious readers who are not my students, you will find the links to the full texts here:
My First Door
I served a 2-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Riverside, California. I still remember the first door I knocked on. I was ready to talk to a complete stranger about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’d rehearsed that morning with my companion what I would say. I’d even practiced my door approach in the mirror. However, when a middle-aged woman opened the door and I tried to start a conversation as I practiced, it felt like I was on a rollercoaster without a seatbelt.
What I didn’t know then is how much that moment would mirror something I’d experience years later, not in a religious context but in an entrepreneurial one.
The same nerves, the same awkwardness, the same leap into the unknown. That leap is what we now call customer discovery.
Customer discovery is the process of talking to potential customers to learn whether the problem you believe exists is real, who experiences it most deeply, and how they currently try to solve it. It is not about pitching your product or selling an idea. It is about setting aside your assumptions, asking thoughtful questions, and listening with the intent to understand.
In many ways, it is the entrepreneurial equivalent of missionary work. You knock. You listen. You try to serve. Both experiences require humility, courage, and curiosity. Both are built on the belief that real, human conversations have the power to lead to insight and impact. When done with care, customer discovery becomes the foundation of everything that follows.
Missionary to Entrepreneur
That same knot in my stomach returned years later as I stood outside a café in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This time, I didn’t have a name tag. I had a notebook and a business idea. I was there to ask complete strangers what problems they had using Google, and I felt like I was stepping into the unknown all over again.
That’s why the book Talking to Humans by Giff Constable resonates so deeply with me. It opens with a truth I wish every new entrepreneur could etch into their heart: every idea we start with is a guess. Unless we challenge those guesses by talking to real people, we are simply building sandcastles on the shore, likely to be washed away by the next wave.
What Talking to Humans teaches is simple but powerful: you need to talk to people not to pitch, but to learn. You are not there to convince them that your idea is amazing. You are on a journey to discover what is true. Much like missionary work, this all begins with the courage to open your mouth and ask thoughtful, respectful questions.
Believing it Doesn’t Make it True
One of the biggest mistakes we make is asking questions like, “Would you buy this?” or “Do you like my idea?” Those questions feel safe. However, they rarely teach us anything meaningful. Instead, we need to go deeper. Ask, “Tell me about the last time you dealt with this problem.” Listen closely. Notice their tone, their body language. Look for patterns. That is where the real insight lives.
Just like in my mission experience, once you begin having honest conversations, the fear starts to fade. The stranger becomes a person. The uncertainty begins to lift. You stop guessing and start understanding. Your business idea improves, and your knowledge grows because you took the time to listen.
I love how Talking to Humans puts it: “You are a detective.” Your job is not to gain approval. Your job is to gather clues. Whether in missionary work or building a business, truth is discovered one conversation at a time.
So if you’re standing at the edge of something new, take heart. You don’t have to be fearless. You just need to be brave for five minutes at a time.
Meet Jihoon & Mirae
This is a fictional case study created to illustrate real customer discovery principles based on Talking to Humans.
Jihoon and Mirae were computer science students at a university in Busan, South Korea. Both had felt overwhelmed by the daily challenge of studying effectively. Their classes were demanding, the workload intense, and their digital tools scattered. Between switching tabs, organizing handwritten notes, and trying out multiple productivity apps, they often ended their study sessions more exhausted than accomplished.
One evening, while discussing their frustration over late-night ramen at the campus cafeteria, Jihoon said, “What if we built something ourselves?” Mirae, already experimenting with app design, quickly jumped on the idea. They envisioned an app called Jikjang, short for “on task.” The app could help students like them stay on task, manage their notes, and build consistent study habits. It would be simple, bilingual, and designed specifically for Korean university students.
They brought their idea to their entrepreneurship professor, Dr. Park. She listened carefully, smiled, and asked a question that stopped them in their tracks.
“How many students have you talked to about this?”
They looked at each other and answered honestly: “None.”
Dr. Park handed them a whiteboard marker and said, “Write down the assumptions you’re making.”
Their list looked like this:
- Korean university students want one app to manage all their study activities.
- Most are frustrated with their current study tools.
- Digital tools are preferred over handwritten methods.
- Students are willing to pay for a helpful app.
- Time-blocking helps students stay productive.
Dr. Park nodded and encouraged them to approach their idea from three directions: experience the problem themselves, observe real behavior, and talk to students without introducing the app too early.
Living the Problem First
For the next five days, Jihoon and Mirae limited themselves to basic, free tools that most students already used, such as Google Drive, phone timers, and physical notebooks. Jihoon missed having structure. Mirae realized that color-coded notes helped her stay on track, even without fancy features.
They concluded that simplicity was key. The app would need to be helpful without trying to replace every other tool students used.
Observing at the Library
The two visited the main library and study lounges across campus. They watched for hours. Some students used laptops, while others used only notebooks and pens. A few toggled between music playlists, messaging apps, and video lectures. Mirae noticed that several students still relied on printed schedules and handwritten to-do lists.
Their third assumption came into question. Digital tools were common, but many students still found comfort and control in physical methods.
Interviewing Without Pitching
Armed with a short list of open-ended questions, Jihoon and Mirae approached over 40 students across different majors. At first, it was uncomfortable and awkward, but they were determined to uncover what students really valued when studying. Over time, it became easier to talk to their classmates. Here are some of the questions they asked:
- “What does your usual study session look like?”
- “What helps you stay focused when you’re studying?”
- “Have you tried any study or productivity apps? What did you like or dislike?”
They received honest answers. Some students admitted they had downloaded apps but stopped using them within a week. Others said they liked setting timers, but forgot to use them. One engineering student shared that she kept a paper calendar because digital ones felt too easy to ignore. Many mentioned they wanted to build habits, not just track time.
What They Discovered
After several days of listening, they reviewed their assumptions with fresh eyes:
- Assumption 1: Not accurate. Students preferred flexible tools rather than an all-in-one solution.
- Assumption 2: Partially true. Frustrations existed, but reasons varied across users.
- Assumption 3: Incomplete. Many students continued to rely on paper alongside digital tools.
- Assumption 4: Untested. Most students were open to trying something new but hesitated at the idea of paying for it.
- Assumption 5: Valid, especially when supported by reminders or group accountability.
Their findings helped them reframe their idea. They decided to develop a lightweight version of Jikjang that focused only on one core function: helping students build consistent study habits using short timers and gentle prompts. Instead of trying to do everything, they would focus on doing one thing well.
The Value of Listening First
Jihoon and Mirae had not written a single line of code, but they had already improved their idea. They realized the best way to move forward was to talk to people, observe real behavior, and stay curious.
They also learned that asking the right questions mattered more than having the right answers. Their vision remained the same, but now it was grounded in real insight.
What Jihoon & Mirae Can Teach Every Entrepreneur
After walking through the fictional journey of Jihoon and Mirae, one truth becomes clear. Talking to people may feel awkward at first, but it is the fastest way to understand whether an idea is headed in the right direction. Many aspiring entrepreneurs believe that great products come from vision and hard work alone. In reality, great products are shaped through active listening, thoughtful observation, and the courage to ask the right questions.
Customer discovery is not about winning approval. It is about uncovering patterns, identifying assumptions, and deciding what truly matters to potential users. Through their journey, Jihoon and Mirae made mistakes, asked uncomfortable questions, and slowly replaced assumptions with evidence. That process reflects what every entrepreneur must go through to create something valuable.
Here are nine core lessons that Talking to Humans offers based on their story:
- Go deeper than surface-level understanding.
Customer discovery is about developing meaningful insights into what motivates your users. Simple praise or compliments may feel encouraging, but they do not provide clarity. Valuable feedback comes from observing behavior and understanding the “why” behind it. - Compliments are not confirmation.
Being told your idea is interesting or exciting does not prove anything. Real learning happens when someone shows behavior that supports your assumptions. For example, choosing your solution over an existing one or showing a willingness to pay speaks louder than kind words. - Prepare your interviews ahead of time.
Going into a conversation without a clear plan often leads to missed opportunities. Creating an interview guide helps you prioritize your most important questions and ensures that you remain focused throughout the discussion. - Focus your questions around your riskiest assumptions.
Not all assumptions are equal. Identifying the ones that could cause your business to fail is critical. Your questions should aim to confirm or challenge those key risks first. - Be flexible and creative when recruiting people to talk to.
If one method does not work, try another. Find people where they naturally gather, ask for referrals, or meet them in the places where they are already experiencing the problem you hope to solve. - Observation can reveal insights that words cannot.
Watching people make real choices or interact with products can tell you more than a scripted answer. Combining interviews with observation leads to more complete learning. - Track your learning with detailed notes.
Memory fades quickly. Writing down your findings while they are fresh helps you spot patterns and compare feedback across different interviews. It also helps you avoid misinterpreting or overvaluing any one comment. - Review and reflect as a team.
Discuss what you are hearing together. Collaborating helps prevent bias, encourages better decisions, and gives everyone a shared understanding of what the data suggests. - Keep asking hard questions.
Even when early feedback is promising, continue looking for blind spots. Discovery is not a one-time activity. It is a practice that should continue throughout the life of the business.
These lessons might seem simple, but they are often overlooked in the excitement of building something new. It takes humility to listen carefully and discipline to keep learning. Entrepreneurs who make this a habit are far more likely to succeed. The journey begins with a conversation. Every honest question and every thoughtful observation brings you one step closer to building something people truly want.
How to Start Talking to Humans
I started my first real business in college with a few close friends. It was the late 1990s, and we thought we had the perfect idea. We wanted to provide high-speed wireless internet to apartment complexes. We felt like geniuses. Instead of selling the service directly to the tenants, we planned to sell it to the apartment owners. That way, we would only need to collect payment from one customer, and the owner could offer internet access as an additional revenue stream.
We weren’t the only ones excited about the idea. We won several business plan competitions and were filled with confidence. There was just one big problem. We never actually spoke with any apartment owners.
It took a lot of time and money to realize that many owners found our idea too invasive. We needed to install wires throughout their complex to make the “wireless” signal reach each unit. They also thought it was too expensive. At the time, dial-up internet was more common and, honestly, more practical.
Eventually, our company shifted. We stopped trying to sell to the building owners and focused instead on offering high-speed internet directly to the tenants. That pivot kept us going long enough to be acquired by a larger company. Even so, the original dream of helping apartment owners earn more income never became a reality.
Looking back, I know that if Talking to Humans had existed then, we would have approached our idea very differently. What I understand now is that the most important step in starting a business is not building the thing. The most important step is learning whether the problem actually exists, discovering who feels it the most, and understanding what they truly need. That kind of learning begins with conversations.
The Talking to Humans “How-To” guide offers a practical path forward. It provides structure to the uncertain process of early-stage discovery and outlines how to replace guesswork with insight. The goal is to understand real people, identify true needs, and avoid building something that nobody wants. Here are the core steps, drawn from that guide, to help turn ideas into meaningful action.
Begin with the Right People
The first step is deciding who to learn from. Not every potential customer is the same. Start by identifying who is most likely to feel the problem deeply. These individuals may be early adopters, frustrated users of current solutions, or people who are trying to solve the problem on their own. By focusing on this group, it becomes easier to gather useful insights and spot early patterns.
Understanding the characteristics of your target customers is essential. If you talk to people who do not experience the problem you are trying to solve, the feedback you receive will be unreliable and may lead you in the wrong direction. Focus on learning from the right type of customer—those whose needs, behaviors, and values align with the challenge your idea addresses. These customers help reveal patterns you can trust and are more likely to be your first real users.
Describing the audience with clarity, such as their age group, profession, behaviors, or habits, makes it easier to find them and start meaningful conversations.
Clarify What Needs to Be Learned
Every business idea begins with assumptions. Some are obvious, others are hidden, and all of them carry risk. The key is to identify which assumptions are most important and which are least certain. These are the ones that should be tested first.
Helpful questions might include: What problem does the customer want to solve? How do they solve it today? What outcome are they hoping to achieve? What are they already spending time or money on? By answering these types of questions, entrepreneurs can move from assumptions to real knowledge.
Create an Interview Plan
Preparing an interview guide helps make conversations more focused and productive. The best questions are open-ended and invite the person to tell a story. Questions like, “Tell me about the last time this happened,” or “What did you do when you faced this challenge?” offer far more value than, “Would you use this?” or “Would you buy it?”
Real behavior is more meaningful than imagined behavior. The goal is to understand what people have done, not what they think they might do in the future.
Find People to Talk To
People will not always come to you. It may take some creativity to reach them. Public spaces, social communities, interest groups, and shared events can all serve as good places to connect. Short online surveys can help qualify potential interviewees, while referrals from friends or contacts can lead to more conversations. The key is to meet people where they already are and approach them with clarity and respect.
Conduct Effective Interviews
The quality of the interview matters as much as the content. One-on-one conversations are ideal, preferably in person or on video. Active listening is essential. Instead of trying to impress or persuade, the goal is to understand. Short introductions, clear explanations of purpose, and a few warm-up questions help build trust.
Note-taking or recording (with permission) ensures that insights are not lost. Having a second person present to take notes can allow the interviewer to stay focused and present.
Make Sense of the Information
After several interviews, it is helpful to step back and reflect. Writing up notes immediately after each session captures small but important details. Reviewing these notes as a team allows for pattern recognition and deeper discussion. Sticky notes, spreadsheets, or digital tools can help organize observations and compare answers across conversations.
It is not necessary to wait for perfect data. If a pattern begins to emerge, it may be time to test a small version of the solution or adjust the direction.
Keep the Learning Process Going
Customer discovery is not a one-time task. It is an ongoing part of building something meaningful. As the product develops, new questions will arise. Each stage of growth introduces new risks and new audiences. Continuing to talk to people ensures that decisions remain grounded in real-world needs.
Ideas become stronger when they are shaped by conversation. Each story, each answer, and each observation helps guide the way. Entrepreneurs who begin by listening are far more likely to create something that truly matters.
Taking the first step is simple. Prepare a few questions, find someone to talk to, and begin. One conversation at a time, uncertainty fades and clarity grows. That is how real progress begins.