The latest articles on DEV Community by Kristof Szabo (@kristof_szabo). https://dev.to/kristof_szabo https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3804719%2F84a50b26-a79e-4f10-9409-6ba6a92f3b63.jpg https://dev.to/kristof_szabo en Kristof Szabo Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:37:43 +0000 https://dev.to/kristof_szabo/painted-door-testing-amd https://dev.to/kristof_szabo/painted-door-testing-amd <p>I’m currently working on , a video testimonial automator designed specifically for keynote speakers, since I worked with them for over 10 years now. Having previously built and exited an AI video company.</p> <p>This time, I’m taking a different approach: The Painted Door Test.<br> My thesis is that my clietns (Speakers, consultants, coaches) don’t need a giant testimonial platform. They need a "Magic QR or Link" they can hand out the moment they step off stage to capture the energy of the room, right after a keynote or training session.</p> <p>The Painted Door 🚪<br> Instead of spending 3 months building a complex AI editing pipeline, I’ve launched a "Painted Door" at <a href="https://dev.tourl">https://vubbs.com</a>.</p> <p>It is a Minimum Viable Experiment where:</p> <ul> <li>Build the "Facade": A high-converting landing page explaining the outcome.</li> <li>Add a "Door": A clear CTA (in this case, a $99/year pre-sale).</li> <li>Measure Intent: Tracking how many people actually pull out their wallets based on the value prop alone.</li> </ul> <p>This allows me to validate the unit economics and market demand before a single line of production code is written. If the data shows zero interest, I pivot without the cost of a full build.</p> <p>The Offer<br> Frictionless UX: Attendees record via mobile browser (no app download).</p> <p>AI Automation: Backend instantly handles trimming, branding, and captions.</p> <p>Micro-Niche: Starting from a horizontal tool to serve one specific, high-ticket persona.</p> <p>Have you ever run a "Painted Door" or "Smoke Test" for your projects? Did you feel "guilty" about the feature not being live yet, or did you find it gave you better direction?</p> <p>How did you handle the transition from "Sign Up" to "Coming Soon"?</p> <p>If you're curious about the stack or the validation metrics, I'll be hanging out in the comments!</p> <p><a href="" class="crayons-btn crayons-btn--primary">Check out the "Painted Door" at Vubbs.com</a> </p> <h1> showdev #startup #productivity #webdev </h1> buildinpublic product saas startup