What Problem Are You Solving? (what Pays)

Data isn’t just for tech experts or big corporations—it's crucial for every entrepreneur looking to grow sustainably and build credibility with stakeholders. This week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we're facilitating an interactive conversation around embedding simple yet powerful data-driven practices into early-stage businesses. Inspired by our upcoming workshop, we'll dive into practical frameworks, easy-to-use tools, and storytelling methods to transform your raw numbers into compelling narratives that investors and stakeholders can’t resist.

You've got a great idea, but is it the right moment to launch? Understanding why now—why your idea matters today—is critical to your success. On this week’s What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), inspired by Paul Orlando's latest book, "Why Now?", we're breaking down how successful products leverage timing, context, and market shifts to succeed where others fail.

This week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we’re unpacking the idea of customer value. Is it about having the lowest price? Is it cost savings or convenience? Emotional connection or brand love? Maybe it's all of these—or something else entirely.

How do you go from a problem to a tested prototype in just five days? That’s the magic of the Google Design Sprint, and this week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we break it down—step by step. Created at Google Ventures and made famous by Jake Knapp, the Design Sprint is a repeatable, high-speed problem-solving process that helps teams focus, align, and test solutions quickly—without wasting time or budget.

This week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we’re joined by David Bland, author of Testing Business Ideas, to talk about real-world experiments that reduce risk, uncover truth, and help you move fast without guessing.

What exactly is a startup assuming when they launch something new? And why is it so important to test those assumptions before scaling? This week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we’re going back to the core principles of Lean Startup—where assumptions meet experiments, and learning beats guessing. This episode will cover: ✅ What assumptions really are (and why we ignore them at our own risk) ✅ Why “validated learning” beats traditional success metrics ✅ How to measure progress when you're still finding product-market fit ✅ What kind of managers and leaders actually support experimental teams

What does truly excellent customer service look like—and how do you make it consistent, even at scale? This week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we take a magical ride through what a certain Orlando attraction can teach us about world-class service. From intentional design to frontline empowerment, we’ll explore the systems, mindsets, and habits that turn everyday experiences into delight.

What happens when you give first—without expecting anything in return? In a world obsessed with ROI and funnels, we’re flipping the script. This week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we explore “The Giving Economy” and what it really means to give first in business—especially in consulting and innovation.

Every transformation—whether in agile, digital, AI, or cultural change—hits roadblocks. But what about the blockers no one talks about? The ones that silently derail your progress, frustrate your teams, and stall innovation before it even begins? This week on What Problem Are You Solving? (What PAYS), we’re tackling the hidden transformation blockers that organizations face over and over again. These aren’t the usual suspects like “lack of leadership buy-in” or “resistance to change” – we’re going deeper.

With the rise of AI-enabled development tools, just about anything you can think of is just a prompt away. But can too much of a good thing be bad for you? We'll discuss the impact of low and no-code tools for the entrepreneur's business model.

Learn from Jon how to run a conference from scratch using lean startup principles while he builds to budget and creates one of the best conferences his attendees have been to! Listen as he iterates in front of the customer to build only what's necessary and not waste time with things that aren't.

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." Innovate with intent. Play to Win. This episode shows how to be deliberate in your choices that will lead you toward a sound, testable strategy.

Validation is tough, but is chasing revenue the first thing you should be doing? How do you know that your first customers won't plateau? Join us this episode for a new way of measuring success.

Now that you've locked-in a validated and desirable product, how do you begin to scale? Join us this week as we mature your business model on the "back end" to ensure success.

Join Ty, Jon, and Nick again we we validate the overall right-side of the business model canvas to ensure that you have a way to get paid (or maximize your mission value). 

How do you know you're achieving problem/solution fit with your offer? Join Ty and Jon and an extra special guest this week while we dive deep into the Innovation Readiness Level #5, the Value Proposition!

How to start testing your valided problem as quick and as cheap as possible. Don't "run to build," but instead "run to learn!"

So you think you have a great idea? Does anyone other than you think so? Does it solve anyone else's problems? Find out how to perform problem validation to stop wasting time building something that no one wants!