Get paying customers for your startup — using science, not guesswork
Stop spinning your wheels on features nobody wants. Learn the evidence-based methods that high-conviction founders use to find early customers and build momentum toward scale.
8 weeks · Live cohort · Lifetime access · Limited to 20 founders
You've built something. Now what?
The pattern you're stuck in
- You don't know how to reach your early customers
- Sales conversations feel awkward and unproductive
- You're not sure if you're working on the right things
- Every pivot feels like a shot in the dark
- You need traction to raise capital, but you can't get traction
The real problem
You're treating startup validation like a creative exercise when it's actually a science. There are proven, repeatable methods for de-risking your business model — but nobody's teaching them to founders at your stage.
A systematic, evidence-based approach
8-week live curriculum
Weekly cohort sessions teach you the traction science framework. Live, interactive, and tailored to where you actually are.
Continuous support
Weekly office hours, hot seat coaching, guest expert events, and community access — as long as you're a member.
Real experiments, real learning
Between sessions, you run experiments with your actual business. We give you feedback. You iterate. You learn by doing.
The 8-week transformation
Understand where you actually are (not where you think you are)
Build your validation engine
Run experiments that generate real evidence
Turn evidence into momentum
Who this is for
You're a fit if:
- You've built something but struggle to get it in front of customers
- You're pre-seed or early pre-seed (idea+ to initial customers)
- You're willing to do the work, not just consume content
- You want evidence-based guidance, not startup theater
- You're building something with scale potential
You're NOT a fit if:
- You're looking for pitch deck coaching or fundraising hacks
- You want us to do the work for you
- You're not ready to talk to customers yet
- You need us to validate that your idea is "good"
“Whenever I felt stuck, being able to have experienced mentorship guide me out of my rut was very helpful. Being able to come to them for something as simple as indecision made it so that I could really punch through.”
Founder / Seed-stage SaaS startup
Two tiers, one focus: your traction
TLVS Standard
$750/ year
Perfect for founders who want the curriculum, community, and group support.
Full 8-week curriculum
Weekly group office hours
Hot seat coaching sessions
Guest expert events
Startup Challenge admission (entire team)
Lifetime access to all materials
Community access (ongoing)
All founding cohort bonuses
TLVS Plus
$3,500/ 6 months
For founders who want direct access to Traction Lab leadership. Includes everything in Standard, plus:
Bi-weekly 1:1 accountability calls
Quarterly half-day design sprints
Subject matter expert network access
Portfolio company event invitations
Semi-annual investor stress tests
High Conviction Happy Hour access
Investor stress test prep guide
Join Cohort 1 and get...
- Core Program·$2,997 value—8-week live curriculum + year-round support
- Startup Challenge VIP Passes·$100+ value—Guaranteed admission for your entire founding team — no registration required
- Traction Science Toolkit·$497 value—Every template, framework, and tool we use
- Office Hours Vault·$297 value—Searchable archive of all past sessions
- Anti-Pattern Playbook·$197 value—Mistakes we've seen — and how to avoid them
- Founding Member Lock·Priceless—Your rate never increases
Total Value: $3,988+
Founding Member Price: $750/year
Plus Members: $3,500/6mo (includes Investor Stress Test Prep)
We've seen what works — and what doesn't
Pattern recognition at scale
We've worked with hundreds of founders. We've seen what works and what doesn't. We can spot the anti-patterns that will kill your startup months before you realize you're off track.
Evidence over theater
We don't care about your pitch. We care about your evidence. Success might mean failing fast with less waste — and we won't blow smoke just to keep you building the wrong thing.
Science, not intuition
Startups aren't magic. They're systematic. There are behaviors and habits that make success more likely. We teach those.
Your guides
JDM
Venture Scientist & Startup Strategist
A venture scientist and startup strategist, JDM has spent years helping early-stage founders separate signal from noise. Known for his no-BS approach to validation, he's guided hundreds of founders through the messy work of finding product-market fit using evidence, not intuition.
Cameron
Ecosystem Builder & Community Architect
An ecosystem builder and community architect, Cameron has supported thousands of entrepreneurs through programs that connect founders, accelerate learning, and cut through the isolation of early-stage building.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Traction Lab Venture School.
Still have questions? Get started and ask us directly.
How is this different from YC Startup School or other programs?
Do I need to be in Sacramento?
What if I'm not technical?
Can I join if I already have some customers?
What's the time commitment?
Do you take equity?
What if I can't make it live?
What happens if I cancel?
Is there a refund policy?
“Without the team from The Traction Lab, our product wouldn't exist — or, at least, it wouldn't be very good. You guys always know the right questions to ask.”
Founder / GovTech Startup
Stop guessing. Start proving.
The difference between high-potential founders and high-conviction founders is evidence. Learn how to get it.
Founding Cohort launches March 23rd. Enrollment closes March 15th. Limited to 20 founders.