How to validate your idea with zero technical experience, with Rashmi Aimiuwu founder of Givva

Rashmi Aimiuwu moved from Canada to Silicon Valley. The literal epicenter of tech, and spent months quietly wondering if she had any business being there. No engineering degree. No startup experience. Just 17 years in commercial real estate marketing and a growing frustration with birthday parties.

That frustration became GIVA, a gift-giving platform that just launched in beta. And in this episode, Rashmi pulls back the curtain on every step of getting there. From teaching herself to build a prototype with AI tools to firing her developer two and a half months into an MVP and starting from scratch.

Rashmi is the earliest stage founder I've ever had on Mimir, and that's exactly why I wanted her here. This show is for early stage founders, and her story mirrors yours more than almost anyone I've talked to. She's figuring it out in real time, building in a space she didn't come from, without a roadmap. Honestly, I'm learning right alongside her. I wanted to bring this conversation to the forefront because it shines a light on the parts that have to happen before you get the big breaks.

After listening to our conversation, you’ll walk away with how she validated the idea before writing a single line of code, what it felt like to jump into a business with zero technical background and sit with that imposter syndrome for months. and what she wishes she'd done differently with her name and brand from day one.

It's one of those conversations that's going to hit differently depending on where you are in your journey. But if you're early, you need this one.

Connect with Rashmi:

Givva's website & her LinkedIn profile

If you enjoyed this episode and want more, dive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! And if you feel called to support this podcast, I’d be deeply honored if you Buy me a matcha!