Techscaler kicks off next week. I've been getting a head start with late payment discovery calls so that my idea is already taking shape by the time the programme begins.

There's no shame in needing to be held accountable

One thing I've learned about my adult self is that I benefit from having a coach.

I compete in a weight class sport. I understand calorie deficits, protein targets and prioritising carbs around training, but when it's competition season I need a nutritionist to stay accountable.

I have lifted weights for years. I know my strengths. I know my weaknesses, but without my coach I won't push myself. I'll do 1 set of sandbag to shoulder instead of 3 and will talk myself out of big lifts.

I've already built a business. I have a blueprint I can follow when developing a new product, but without mentorship my idea will languish as tasks on a mental to-do list.

Whilst I haven't accomplished anything tangible yet—we still don't even know what my idea is—I am taking action when I probably wouldn't have otherwise. And that's something.

How I prepped for my discovery calls

After my first mentorship session the plan of action was to:

• Read The Mom Test
• Schedule a minimum of 10 discovery calls

I listened to the audiobook version of The Mom Test whilst walking Bonita, my dog. The message was clear; don't influence or lead the subject as tempting as that is. Validation feels good, but we should avoid pats on the back and collect accurate, unbiased information.

What I'm looking for from conversations is:

1. Moments customers are noticeably passionate. If something triggers a strong reaction, make a note of it
2. Patterns. There are many reasons for non-payment. Liquidation, dissatisfaction, cashflow… Which example crops up the most? That's where I should focus when developing my idea

I'm avoiding speaking solely to people who have experienced problems with late payment. You'd think that isn't useful when developing a late payment product, but by utilising the cues from the book I'm learning something from each conversation. Even when it isn't going in the direction I hope.

For example, those 'lucky' enough to not be plagued with poor clients have avoided them for a reason. Is there anything we can learn about their processes that would mitigate the risk of non-payment?

Speaking to people is scary

I'm purposefully choosing a mixture of people to speak to:

1. Ex-customers who have since left the freelancing game due to its instability
2. Experienced freelancers who have refined their processes where non-payment is a distant memory
3. Newer freelancers who might not have much experience and struggle to adhere to boundaries
4. Freelancers working with multinationals, and those working with smaller, local clients

People don't believe me when I say I'm introverted because I am outgoing, but I'm happiest going to bed on a week night knowing that I don't have any meetings scheduled the following day (and that I don't have to set an alarm).

The thought of conducting discovery calls made me uncomfortable. I enjoy plugging away behind my computer. Alone. But knowing that I had to check in with my mentor in a few weeks encouraged me to take action.

Plot twist! These discovery calls have become my favourite part of the week. This is because I'm learning so much. Not just about the problem I hope to solve, but about the mentality freelancers have towards clients, payments, and everything in between.

I'm fortunate in that I don't have to reach out to complete strangers. I have an existing customer base who trust me, putting me in a privileged position. Every person I've asked to speak with has so far obliged. Not only that, but everybody has opened up candidly about their experiences.

If I was starting from a position of no clout, I would use financial incentives to encourage people to speak to me. A voucher for an online book shop or something.

What I'm doing with the data

It's one thing to conduct these calls, but what do I do with the conversations once they're over? Honestly, I'm not quite sure yet. I'm still waiting for a freelance fairy godmother to help me make sense of everything.

Condensing each call into a 1 or 2 page document and looking for insights has been a good place to start.

One insight was the struggle freelancers face when enforcing their rights around late payments. Sensitively managing client relationships was a common theme. Would freelancers be likelier to pursue overdue invoices if a third-party handled credit control for them?

Another pattern highlighted that freelancers don't really know what they're looking for when doing due diligence. Is there scope for education around spotting red flags? Using publicly available information and our claims data, we can build a picture of a client's vulnerabilities.

These are ideas I can test.

Vitamins and painkillers

One thing that was highlighted during my mentorship call was not to fall into the trap of developing another vitamin. Instead I've to focus on creating a painkiller.

Painkiller = product is solving an immediate pain.

Vitamin = solving a less immediate problem.

Part of the reason I'm doing this accelerator is because of the struggles of building an insurance business. People will pay for a problem to be solved when they're experiencing it. With insurance you're anticipating an event that may or may not happen. This is why it's such a difficult product to sell.

Assisting freelancers with due diligence is of a similar ilk. Freelancers are likelier to need help with non-payment when they're in the thick of it—not anticipate that it could be a problem and take steps before onboarding a client to avoid it.

My new superpower

As someone who was more inclined to lurk on freelance communities and basically do anything to avoid talking to actual people, I feel like I've unlocked a new superpower.

Earlier this year I distributed a late or non payment survey. The number of responses I collected is higher than the number of discovery calls I've conducted, but the survey lacks context. A lot of the feedback is the same between both formats, but with discovery calls people elaborate on their why. "I use a third-party to chase late payments" becomes "I use a third-party to chase late payments because I want to maintain a good relationship with my client. As a solo business I find chasing payments confrontational and I feel uneasy".

I still think being active in online communities and conducting surveys is an excellent way to gather intel, but speaking to real customers has been 10x more beneficial and has expedited the discovery process.

I will keep going until something clicks.