Ask, don’t assume: How to run problem interviews that actually work

Learning goal

Most startup founders think they know the problem, but what they really have are assumptions.

If you don’t talk to your target users the right way, you’ll end up building based on guesses.

Problem interviews are your shortcut to real insight.
Done right, they’ll help you avoid building the wrong thing and show you new opportunities you didn’t see before.

Why it matters

1. What is a problem interview?
   It’s a focused conversation where you explore someone’s real experiences, frustrations, and current behavior, without pitching your solution.
   The goal is to learn, not to convince.

2. Who should you interview?
   Talk to people who actually face the problem you want to solve.
   Not just friends who’ll say “galing,” but real potential users. Look for:

• People you don’t know well

• People who’ve already tried solving the problem

• People who could realistically be your first customers

3. What to ask (and what to avoid)
   Ask about:

• Past behavior, not future guesses

• Specific stories, not vague opinions
  Try questions like:

• “Can you walk me through the last time you tried to ______?”

• “What did you try? What happened?”

• “What’s the hardest part about dealing with this?”
  Avoid:

• “Would you use this app?”

• “Don’t you think this idea is great?”

• Pitching your solution midway

4. Dig deeper
   Real insight comes from follow-up questions. Ask:

• “Why was that frustrating?”

• “What did you do next?”

• “How did that make you feel?”
  Don’t settle for surface-level answers. That’s where the gold is buried.

5. What to do with what you learn
   After each interview, summarize:

• The problem they described

• What they currently do to solve it

• How painful it really seems (rate 1 to 10)
  Then look for patterns.
  If three or more people describe the same pain in the same way, you’re on to something real.

Quick checklist

• Talked to people who actually experience the problem

• Stayed curious, no pitching

• Focused on what they do, not what they say they’d do

• Asked follow-ups and got real stories

• Spotted clear patterns across conversations

What to do next / StellarPH tip

Share your top three takeaways with a mentor or fellow founder.

If your interviews reveal a painful, repeated problem, don’t jump into building.
First, test how your solution fits into their current behavior.