In the latest episode of the DesignRush Podcast, Goji Labs CEO David Barlev shares why validating product-market fit before building is the key to launching faster, smarter-and without wasting capital.

Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2025) - David Barlev, co-founder and CEO of Goji Labs, joined DesignRush Podcast host Kia Johnson to break down a reality many startup founders learn too late: building a feature-rich MVP before confirming real demand can sink your startup before it starts.

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Barlev, who has helped over 100 companies bring digital products to market, explains how a validation-first, lean strategy helps teams avoid overspending, test real market need early, and drive meaningful traction faster.

"The fastest way to lose $100K is building something fully featured before understanding the problem or the market," David says. "Make the shack. Test it. Learn fast."

Podcast topics include:

• Why most MVPs fail due to untested assumptions
• The "Castle vs. Shack" framework for early-stage builds
• How the North Star Workshop helps founders prioritize features by impact
• Why startups must test their pitch as much as the product
• How message-market fit influences adoption in under two seconds

Barlev also introduces Goji Labs' North Star Workshop, a strategic framework that anchors product decisions to one core business metric.

This method reduces guesswork and aligns cross-functional teams around measurable goals.

The episode features real-world examples of Goji Labs clients that validated early and gained traction quickly, including:

• Kydee, a compliance platform that raised significant capital and partnered with Google and Roblox after validating its value with early prototypes

• k-ID, a child onboarding platform that raised $51 million after aligning product strategy with real user needs

Barlev warns that skipping user feedback too long is one of the most expensive mistakes founders make.

"What's expensive is trying to get something right without customer involvement. Make something just barely good enough to test. That's enough to get a signal."

He also reminds early-stage teams to validate not just their product, but also their messaging:

"Most people decide in two seconds if your product is for them. You have to get that right just as early."

Check out the full episode, available now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

About Goji Labs

Goji Labs is an award-winning digital product agency headquartered in Los Angeles. Founded in 2014, the agency partners with startups, nonprofits, and enterprises to design, develop, and scale web and mobile applications that drive real business outcomes. The agency has launched over 500 products, supported clients in 12 countries, and collaborated with organizations like the World Health Organization. Goji Labs has been featured in Clutch's Top 100 and named a top-reviewed UX agency in Los Angeles.​

About DesignRush

DesignRush is a media platform and a B2B marketplace connecting businesses with agencies through expert reviews and agency ranking lists, awards, knowledge resources, and personalized agency recommendations for vetted projects.

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