4 Problem Statement Templates for Idea-Stage, Bootstrapped Founders (Free)

Write a crisp, testable problem statement in minutes - so you stop guessing and start validating.

Why this matters

If you skip the problem statement, you build in the dark. These four templates help you articulate who hurts, what the pain is, why it matters, and how to test it—fast. Use them before you sink time into features, landing pages, or ads.

What you’ll get

• 4 fill-in-the-blank templates for high-signal problem statements:
  • I am… but… because… (emotion)
  • The 5 W’s (Who/What/Where/When/Why)
  • Jobs-to-Be-Done (When/I want to/so I can)
  • How Might We (action • user • outcome)
• Examples for each template written for real founder scenarios
• Guidance on when to use each template and what “good” looks like

How to use it (3 steps)

1. Pick one template and write 3–5 versions for your domain.
2. Stress-test with 3 people in your target audience (read it out; watch for “that’s me”).
3. Keep the strongest statement; use it as the north star for your validation run.

Pro tip: This is Step 0 before running Problem Proof (PainScan → Market Scorecard → Persona → Pulse-Brief → Verdict-Next). A crisp problem statement improves every downstream result.

Who this is for

Time-strapped founders who want evidence over opinion and a fast way to align on the real problem as you build your business.

What’s included

• PDF (clean, print-friendly) with examples