A great business idea can still fail if the business model doesn't hold together. An idea creates potential. A business model determines whether that potential can become a viable business. Five questions deserve attention: → Value proposition: Does the solution address a meaningful customer problem? → Revenue: Is there a credible reason customers would pay for it? → Costs: Can the business deliver its value at a sustainable cost? → Competition: Why would customers choose this solution over existing alternatives? → Validation: What evidence supports the assumptions behind the model? These questions are interconnected. Strong demand may not be enough if the business cannot generate sufficient revenue to cover its costs. An attractive product can struggle if customers see no meaningful reason to switch. And a convincing plan can remain unproven until its key assumptions are tested. The goal isn't to make a business model look convincing on paper. It's to identify what must be true for it to work—and test those assumptions before committing too many resources. A promising idea is the starting point. Testing the business model's critical assumptions provides a stronger basis for a decision.