Appendix H

The Ten Conversations Worth Having

Derived from Chapter 19.

Before a repeatable channel exists, the founder’s hours are the acquisition system. Rank prospective conversations by what they can reveal, not by what they feel like. This is a way of noticing, not a formula.

For each of the next ten possible conversations, score each condition 0 (no evidence), 1 (plausible), or 2 (observed). Do not use a finer scale.

Fit What “observed” looks like: Lives with the problem in a context where it matters

Economic pain What “observed” looks like: Existing workaround, spend, or labor you can name

Authority What “observed” looks like: Can decide, or credibly moves the decision

Trigger What “observed” looks like: A visible reason action is plausible soon

Reachability and trust path What “observed” looks like: Can be reached in a way that lets a serious conversation happen; arrived with some reason to take you seriously

Candor What “observed” looks like: Likely to tell you the truth, or the conversation is structured to allow it

Sum if you like, then read the rows. A single zero often matters more than the total. A prospect with 2s everywhere except authority is a superb source of problem understanding and a poor use of an hour when you need purchase evidence. A prospect scoring 1 across the board is the most dangerous row: nothing disqualifies them and nothing recommends them.

Before each conversation, complete this sentence: If this goes well, I will know more about ______ than I do now. If the blank fills with a specific belief the person can affect, take the hour. If it fills with “the product” or nothing, it is a social event; do not count it as acquisition.

After each conversation, record: which belief was strengthened or weakened, what commitment or specific refusal occurred, and whether any condition was scored wrong. Revise the score.