How he validated Kettle and Fire with just $50 (Now a $100M Company)
The Startup Ideas Podcast
Validating Business Ideas with AI
This chapter focuses on the innovative approach to starting a business using simple tools like landing pages and PayPal, along with unconventional marketing strategies such as Bing ads. It emphasizes the importance of validating market interest and consumer needs before launching a product, while exploring how AI technology can streamline this process. The discussion highlights personal journeys in entrepreneurship and the necessity of aligning business ideas with personal passions to foster genuine success.
Join me as I chat with Justin Mares, Founder of Kettle and Fire, as he explains his methodical approach to validating Kettle and Fire before fully launching it in 2014-2015. He created a basic landing page with a PayPal checkout to test if people would pay $29.99 for bone broth, achieving a 30% conversion rate despite having no actual product. The conversation highlights how modern AI tools have dramatically lowered barriers to entry for entrepreneurs testing new business ideas
Timestamps:
• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:05 - The Scale of Kettle and Fire
• 01:20 - The Initial Idea and Inspiration
• 02:16 - Validating Market Demand
• 04:03 - Addressing Skepticism on Market Research
• 06:00 - Testing Pricing and Demand
• 08:48 - Bing Ads and Early Revenue
• 12:22 - Leveraging AI for Business Today
• 13:42 - Finding Passion-Driven Problems
• 15:28 - Identifying Trends and Tools
• 20:15 - ChatGPT 4o for Initial Product Design
Key Points
• Justin shares how he validated and launched Kettle and Fire, now a nine-figure bone broth business
• He used a minimal landing page, Fiverr logo, and Bing ads to test market demand before creating the product
• The validation process focused on identifying if enough people wanted the product and if they would pay enough
1) The "Day Zero" validation strategy that worked:
Justin wanted bone broth for his own health but couldn't find it online. Before creating anything, he asked two critical questions:
• How many people actually want this?
• Will they pay enough to make it a viable business?
Smart validation = less risk.
2) Finding your TRUE market size:
Justin didn't rely on gut feeling. He went where his potential customers hung out:
• Paleo forums
• CrossFit communities
• Reddit threads
• Mark's Daily Apple
He found FANATIC engagement around bone broth recipes, sourcing, and benefits
3) The Google Trends hack
Justin checked macro trends to confirm his micro observations.
He wasn't looking to build a 9-figure business at 24 - just wanted to make $10K/month with his brother.
Simple math: A few thousand customers spending a few hundred dollars a year = viable business.
4) The $15 MVP that ACTUALLY validated demand:
• $9.99 domain ([bonebroths.com](http://bonebroths.com/))
• $5 logo from Fiverr
• Basic landing page on Unbounce
No product. No fancy design. Just a simple page highlighting benefits that his target audience cared about:
- Healing leaky gut
- Convenience
- Organic ingredients
5) The GENIUS pricing strategy:
Justin priced at $29.99 for 16oz - 6X MORE than grocery store broth!
His thinking: "If people will pay this much for a product they've never tasted from a sketchy landing page, they REALLY want it."
High price = strong signal of demand.
6) The checkout flow was HILARIOUSLY janky:
"Order Now" button → Justin's personal PayPal
That's it. That was the entire checkout.
And guess what? PEOPLE STILL BOUGHT IT!
After spending just $100 on Bing ads (yes, Bing!), he made nearly $500 in revenue.
7) The honest follow-up that built trust:
After validating demand, Justin emailed every customer:
"We don't have the product yet. I can either refund you in full or give you 50% off when we ship in a few weeks."
Most chose the discount, giving him runway to actually create the product.
8) From validation to execution:
It took 8 months to figure out production and scaling.
But because he KNEW people wanted it and would pay for it, he had the confidence to push through the hard parts.
9) How would he do it TODAY with AI tools?
• Better landing pages using tools like Bolt.new
• Sentiment analysis across Reddit/Twitter
• AI-generated product designs (as shown in the podcast)
10) The bigger lesson for aspiring founders:
Focus on problems YOU care deeply about.
The best ideas come from the frontier where you're already spending your time.
11) AI is LEVELING the playing field:
One person with strong conviction + AI tools can now build products that previously required entire teams.
12) Want to find YOUR startup idea?
Justin's advice:
• Find a problem that lights you up
• Circle that problem until you find interesting solutions
• Validate with real customers willing to pay
• Use AI to accelerate everything
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/
BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.co
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND JUSTIN ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://x.com/jwmares
His Blog: https://justinmares.com/
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